Issues and Options for the Ipswich Local Plan Review

Comment

Representation ID: 25186

Received: 30/10/2017

Respondent: Environment Agency

The River Gipping as it flows through Ipswich and the Orwell estuary are overlooked in the Plan. The River Gipping in Ipswich is a neglected asset that is not accessible to people. It is a degraded environment that is hidden from view and not celebrated as one of Ipswich's key assets. The new Local Plan for Ipswich should include proposals to enhance the visual and ecological quality of the river and estuary, engage people with the river and detail how water quality will be maintained and improved in the river while the population of Ipswich increases. Developers proposing to build on land adjacent to the river should contribute to improving the water and habitat quality in the river. This should include contributing to the cost of removing redundant in-river structures that are of poor visual quality, are a health and safety and maintenance liability and prevent the free movement of fish and eels in the river.

Comment

Representation ID: 25187

Received: 30/10/2017

Respondent: Environment Agency

We welcome the recognition of the range of sizes and types of open space in Ipswich. Benefits of the provision of new, and enhancement on existing, multifunctional open space include reduced flood risk, leisure provision, social cohesion and an increase in the value of development. The Plan suggests that fewer large areas of open space would be more cost efficient to maintain than a large
number of small spaces. However, the plan should also consider the benefits for urban biodiversity and amenity provided by a network of smaller open spaces.
Policies should look not only to halt biodiversity loss but to provide net gains for biodiversity wherever possible. We would encourage policies for de-culverting, removal of redundant structures from Main Rivers, creation and maintenance of green corridors to buffer watercourses, native riparian tree planting where appropriate and removal of invasive non-native species. There is currently no mention of non-native species, and the River Gipping in particular has Himalayan Balsam, Japanese Knotweed and Giant Hogweed which are negatively impacting on biodiversity within Ipswich and must be addressed.

Comment

Representation ID: 25338

Received: 30/10/2017

Respondent: Environment Agency

There is no mention in this section of the fluvial flood risk from the River Gipping, nor of the residual tidal risk remaining from the overtopping or breach of flood defences. Both of these sources of flood risk may need to be addressed by developers in their FRAs. The Local Plan should consider a local policy defining what development would be considered accessible in areas at risk of flooding. This would provide clarity and enable developers to understand what could be considered safe. We would welcome discussion with you to create such as policy.