Flood concerns key in inquiry

Furze Platt: Spencer’s Farm planning appeal concludes

Flooding issues at Spencer’s Farm came under the spotlight as a planning inquiry into proposals to build 330 homes continued this week.

Summerleaze and 1M

Land are appealing the council’s decision to block development in June 2023.

Flood risk is a key concern of residents living near Spencer’s Farm.

Homeowners in the nearby Westmead estate saw their gardens disappear underwater during major flooding in January this year. It is also a central argument in the council’s position.

In a proof of evidence summary submitted to the inquiry, Ryan Saul – the council’s flood risk expert – laid out 30 separate reasons why the Spencer’s Farm application did not satisfy grounds for approval on flood risk concerns.

But in a cross examination of Mr Saul’s evidence, Christopher Young KC, representing the developers, hit back at these objections.

“The Environment

Agency (EA) raise no objections to this proposal, do they?” he said.

“The Lead Local Flood Authority (LFFA) equally raise no objection to this proposal and we also know that the planning officers, who considered the evidence, raise no objections to this proposal.

“We’ve got three sets of professionals, all of whom have come to the conclusion that there’s no need to be refusing this application on flood risk.”

Mr Saul’s evidence advises the plans do not comply with the developer’s committal to provide ‘safe and appropriate walking and cycling routes,’ set out in the design and access statement.

He adds no consideration has been given to a mass evacuation of construction workers or school children through pedestrian and cycle access in the event of a flood. The plans include construction of a new school.

A further point of contention is the developer’s lack of flood analysis in the event of a breach to Maidenhead Bund – an artificial barrier near to Spencer’s Farm.

Although late evidence was submitted to the inquiry which mapped out this scenario, Mr Saul said it did not address his concerns.

Spencer’s Farm sits on land allocated for development as part of the Borough Local Plan (BLP) – a controversial strategy for house building signed off under the Royal Borough’s former Tory administration.

Mr Young said the farm site, part of the AL25 and AL28 allocations, would have already been considered for its flood risk before its BLP inclusion and questioned the information councillors had access to in making their decision in June.

He said: “You (Mr Saul) are here to defend the members’ (councillors’) position, it’s not just about you giving your professional view.

“And in doing that you would have obviously satisfied yourself about what technical information they had available to them.

“They didn’t have any technical information separate to that which had been provided to them by the applicant and approved by the EA and LLFA.”

At the decisive council meeting last year, one councillor on the panel said issues over the development’s emergency access were like ‘playing Russian roulette with people’s lives’.

The council’s opening submissions put to the inquiry, led by Guy Williams KC, also argues emergency access to Spencer’s Farm would be compromised during a flood event.

It adds that Summerleaze and 1M Land had gone against national planning policy by not demonstrating an exception test had been passed.

An exception test, required when a part of an application lies in a flood risk zone, establishes the long-term safety of a development with regard to flood risk.

The developers argue measures are in place to mitigate flood risk. The Spencer’s Farm plans include a run-off route to Maidenhead Ditch and water attenuation ponds, which store rainfall and regulate outflow.

The inquiry, chaired by planning Inspector Thomas Hatfield, is set to conclude on Friday – although closing submissions from the council and developer could be entered early next week.

Evidence for the development’s impact on highways and noise has already been considered.