Council notes that the draft First Proposals for the Greater Cambridge Local Plan identifies an urgent need for new strategic water supply infrastructure to provide for the longer-term needs of the plan and protect the chalk aquifer that supplies much of the area with water.
Council further notes that Water Resources East timeline to address these issues through their new integrated water management strategy will only see new water supply infrastructure available from the mid 2030’s, resulting in further deterioration of both the aquifer itself, and the chalk stream habitats it feeds.
Council also notes the requirement by the Environment Agency for the integrated water management strategy to include long-term nature recovery and resilience.
Council therefore resolves that the Leader and Chief Executive write to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government highlighting these issues and urging them to find ways to support the water industry to deliver both the new water supply infrastructure and the improved water catchment management to restore the chalk stream habitats for South Cambridgeshire on a much faster timeline by the end of the decade.
Decision:
Council agreed the following motion:
Council notes that the draft First Proposals for the Greater Cambridge Local Plan identifies an urgent need for new strategic water supply infrastructure to provide for the longer-term needs of the plan and protect the chalk aquifer that supplies much of the area with water.
Council further notes that Water Resources East timeline to address these issues through their new integrated water management strategy will only see new water supply infrastructure available from the mid 2030’s, resulting in further deterioration of both the aquifer itself, and the chalk stream habitats it feeds.
Council also notes the requirement by the Environment Agency for the integrated water management strategy to include long-term nature recovery and resilience.
Council therefore resolves that the Leader and Chief Executive write to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government highlighting these issues and urging them to find ways to support the water industry to deliver both the new water supply infrastructure and the improved water catchment management to restore the chalk stream habitats for South Cambridgeshire on a much faster timeline by the end of the decade.
Minutes:
Councillor Dr Ian Sollom proposed and Councillor Pippa Heylings seconded the following motion:
“Council notes that the draft First Proposals for the Greater Cambridge Local Plan identifies an urgent need for new strategic water supply infrastructure to provide for the longer-term needs of the plan and protect the chalk aquifer that supplies much of the area with water.
“Council further notes that Water Resources East timeline to address these issues through their new integrated water management strategy will only see new water supply infrastructure available from the mid 2030’s, resulting in further deterioration of both the aquifer itself, and the chalk stream habitats it feeds.
“Council also notes the requirement by the Environment Agency for the integrated water management strategy to include long-term nature recovery and resilience.
“Council therefore resolves that the Leader and Chief Executive write to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government highlighting these issues and urging them to find ways to support the water industry to deliver both the new water supply infrastructure and the improved water catchment management to restore the chalk stream habitats for South Cambridgeshire on a much faster timeline by the end of the decade.”
Councillor Dr Sollom explained that the District’s wetlands were drying out and the chalk aquifers were being over-extracted. The Council could work with its partners to tackle this issue.
Councillor Nigel Cathcart declared his support for the motion, as the District chalk streams were under threat. He asserted that the development in the Local Plan should be dependent on the water supply being resolved. He suggested that the abstraction licences needed to be reviewed.
Councillor Deborah Roberts reported that the District’s MP had also raised concerns regarding the District’s water supply. She added that similar concerns had been raised by councillors over the last 30 years, but that it was hypocritical of the current administration to support extra development in the area, when this was the real cause of the problem.
Councillor Nick Wright stated that current administration was in control of development in the District and this was causing the pressure on water supply.
Councillor Sue Ellington stated that the administration was responsible for agreeing where new development was built. She was more concerned with where the water from new developments would go, as Uttons Drove sewage work would need to process an extra 1.4 billion litres.
Councillor Dr Tumi Hawkins, acknowledged that this was not a new issue and asked what the previous administration had done to mitigate this problem. The Council was not the water authority and needed to work with its partners to address the challenge of water supply in the District.
The Chair stated that the Government needed to know whether water could be supplied to new homes in the District and so it was appropriate that the Leader and Chief Executive wrote to the Government on this issue.
Councillor Pippa Heylings reminded Members that the Council had declared a climate and ecological emergency in July 2019 and the authority had agreed a doubling nature strategy. The new Local Plan would be obliged to support green infrastructure and developers would have to ensure that chalk streams were revitalised.
Councillor Ian Sollom thanked Members for their contributions and he acknowledged their concerns regarding the impact of new developments on the District’s water supply. He suggested that proper water management could address the problem and the Council could help to provide the necessary infrastructure. He urged members to agree the motion
Upon the motion being put, a vote was taken and were cast as follows:
In favour (24):
Councillors Henry Batchelor, John Batchelor, Paul Bearpark, Ruth Betson, Anna Bradnam, Nigel Cathcart, Grenville Chamberlain, Graham Cone, Dr Claire Daunton, Peter Fane, Corinne Garvie, Neil Gough, Bill Handley, Geoff Harvey, Dr Tumi Hawkins, Pippa Heylings, Peter McDonald, Brian Milnes, Bridget Smith, Dr Ian Sollom, Dr Aidan Van de Weyer, Bunty Waters, Heather Williams and John Williams
Against (1):
Councillor Deborah Roberts
Abstain (1):
Councillor Sue Ellington
Council Agreed the following motion:
Council notes that the draft First Proposals for the Greater Cambridge Local Plan identifies an urgent need for new strategic water supply infrastructure to provide for the longer-term needs of the plan and protect the chalk aquifer that supplies much of the area with water.
Council further notes that Water Resources East timeline to address these issues through their new integrated water management strategy will only see new water supply infrastructure available from the mid 2030’s, resulting in further deterioration of both the aquifer itself, and the chalk stream habitats it feeds.
Council also notes the requirement by the Environment Agency for the integrated water management strategy to include long-term nature recovery and resilience.
Council therefore resolves that the Leader and Chief Executive write to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Secretary of State for Housing Communities and Local Government highlighting these issues and urging them to find ways to support the water industry to deliver both the new water supply infrastructure and the improved water catchment management to restore the chalk stream habitats for South Cambridgeshire on a much faster timeline by the end of the decade.