The Principal Planner (Policy) introduced the report which provided an update on the Water Cycle Study, a joint study between Swale and Medway Councils, which formed part of the non-statutory evidence base for the Local Plan.  The report set out the headline findings of Phase 1 (to look at background data and evidence and the local situations, providing high level policy input).  However, due to delays in receiving available data and other issues, as set-out in the report, the Water Cycle Study was not yet finalised.

The Chair invited comments from Members, and points raised included:

·         This was an important piece of work which painted a ‘bleak’ picture on what Swale could support in terms of water;

·         needed to explore how to change residents’ habits to lower their water consumption;

·         the nutrients within the water supply were an important piece of work that needed to be provided as well;

·         sought assurance that the Council were liaising with water providers for the whole of Swale;

·         a strong report but concerned that officers had not been able to progress to Phases II and III, could an interim report be provided and published?;

·         residents needed to understand where their water came from and the impact new developments had on it;

·         wastewater and sewage in Swale were already at capacity and the ramifications on the Council’s Local Plan were enormous;

·         the cost of improving the infrastructure of water provision was huge;

·         engagement with the Environment Agency (EA) was crucial; and

·         asked that the study be published prior to the decision on the Highsted Park Inquiry which was due in July 2025.

In response, the Principal Planner (Policy) assured Members that whilst they were working jointly on the study with Medway, officers would liaise separately with water providers who delivered and treated water across the borough.  She considered the study was not currently to an adequate standard to be used as evidence to inform the Council’s Local Plan or to be published on the Council’s website.   The Principal Planner (Policy) said the study provided a lot of useful information for discussions with the water companies.  With regard to the modelling, this was dependent on the data available, which in turn depended on the permits issued by the EA for the wastewater treatment works, which currently did not include permits for phosphate and nitrate levels.  The EA had requested a more sophisticated modelling approach be used than that proposed by the consultants, and officers would be exploring this with the EA in the coming weeks. 

There was some discussion about the funding for the project and the Planning Manager (Policy) clarified that the budget for funding Phase I of the study had been fully spent on work to-date, but that there were budgets available to complete Phases II and III.

The Chair asked that the Phase I Study be completed and ready for publication by mid-May 2025.  This was agreed by Members.  The Planning Manager (Policy) stated that the planning policy team would use their best endeavours to achieve this deadline.

Recommended:

(1)   That the Water Cycle Study update report be noted, and that best endeavours would be made to complete the Study ready for publication, by mid-May 2025.