The River Great Ouse is a central feature of the town and main component of the blue infrastructure. It does also pose flood risks.
Talking Points:
- The town has seen major events most recently in 1998. 2007, 2020 & 2024.
- Flooding can have devasting consequences which can last for months and even years.
- Flood risk is a major concern for many residents. Flooding occurs not just from the river [fluvial] but also from excess surface water that cannot drain away quickly enough.
- Flood risk planning policy is set at a national level, and a neighbourhood plan cannot alter that policy.
How has the Plan addressed these concerns?
- Allocation of specific sites for housing development means that, the potential for higher risk sites being speculatively developed is very unlikely as there is already provision for new homes.
- It also allows for specific requirements as to flood risk and prevention to be stated.
- Rigorous enforcement of national policies will be sought and supported
- Stress is placed on considering the lifetime of the development and the future pressures that may be imposed by climate change, in designing water management on sites as well as reiterating National Planning Policy.
- Flood risk assessments in Flood zones 1 as well as zones 2 & 3.
- DH1 Buckingham Design Code
There are a number of relevant provisions within the Design Code:
- No underground parking to be permitted; [M.3.i]
- Parking courts to have permeable surfaces [M.3.i & R.2.ev]
- Open Space Design – if play areas in an area that may be liable to flooding – resilience features should be considered; [N.1.iii]
- SUDs in residential areas could be permeable surfaces, green roofs, rainwater capture, soakings – so not just macro but micro as well [N.2.ii]
- Emphasis on resilience [as is nationally] if area has some risk of flooding must be able to leave the area; location of electrics etc. [N.2.iii]
- Ecological buffer zone should allow for current and future water defences;[N.2.i]
- Community areas such as squares should not have hard standing [P.3.i]
- Promote and practice natural flood management [R.2.iv]
These are small details but there will be a cumulative impact.
- The development to the west has specific requirements as to providing a flood and water strategy describing how the scheme will manage and not increase surface water risk.[ HP3 – A.viii & supporting text paragraph 10]
- Urban Greening policy promotes sustainable drainage as a core consideration in design [ENV 3 & supporting text paragraph 2 sustainable drainage]
- The Canalside development has a SUDs strategy and considers it use as a potential flood alleviation scheme. [CLH2 – J & supporting text paragraph 5]
The aim to provide not just preventative measures but also to build resilience as the potential for unusual weather patterns increases.