Agenda item

Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/19/37), on proposed flood Improvements in Stokeinteignhead, attached.

An Impact Assessment for the Devon Local Flood Risk Management Strategy is also attached for the attention of Members at this meeting.

(Councillor Dewhirst attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Head of Planning Transportation and Environment (PTE/19/37) on proposed flood Improvements in Stokeinteignhead, circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

The Report informed the Cabinet on the progress made in developing the flood improvements for Stokeinteignhead, the challenges experienced to date and current proposals for scheme delivery. It also updated the funding allocations that were previously reported in the 2019/20 Flood Risk Management Annual Action Plan presented to and approved by Cabinet in March 2019.

Stokeinteignhead had up to 45 properties at risk of flooding from an event with a high (1 in 5-year event) probability of occurrence. During the severe weather in 2012, 12 of those properties suffered internal flooding. There were two watercourses merging in the centre of the village, together with numerous surface water flow paths, all flowing towards the low-lying area of the village where the majority of at-risk properties were located.

Works were carried out in 2016 to improve the drainage conveyance and discharges back into the watercourse for the lower end of the village. This had reduced the risk of flooding to a small number of properties, but was also an essential element of works to support the current proposals.

The proposed scheme incorporated three separate elements which were Property Flood Resilience (PFR) installation to individual properties, improvements to the local highway drainage network; and the installation of Natural Flood Management (NFM) measures in the upper catchment. Accompanying the PFR measures, on individual properties, a programme of highway drainage improvements would be undertaken, as illustrated in Appendix A.

The Report highlighted the alternative options that had been considered and that key stakeholders had been involved from an early stage and throughout development of the scheme proposals, including the Parish Council, District Council, land owners, local MP, local flood group and individual property owners. Discussions with the District Council’s Conservation Officer had also taken place as a number of properties were Listed Buildings.

The Cabinet noted that a business case was currently being finalised for submission to the Environment Agency for Flood Defence Grant in Aid. The partnership funding calculator had indicated a figure of £200k should be requested. The various funding sources were illustrated in the revised table, circulated at the meeting, appended to these minutes including spend prior to 2019/2020 and the costs for 2019/2020 and 2020/2021.

An environmental appraisal had been carried out on the proposals which indicated that, with appropriate mitigation, there would be limited impact upon landscape, historic and ecological interests. The scheme would look to maximise any ecological opportunities, reuse materials excavated on site and utilise naturally occurring materials as part of the Natural Flood Management proposals, to reduce the carbon footprint of the scheme.

The Head of Service’s Report also incorporated an Impact Assessment for the attention of Members at this meeting. The Cabinet noted that all of the flood improvements had been developed in accordance with the Equality and Environmental Assessments produced in support of the Devon Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.

The matter having been debated and the options and/or alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability (including carbon impact), risk management (which had been outlined in the Devon Local Flood Risk Management Strategy), equality and legal considerations and Public Health impact) set out in the Head of Service’s Report and/or referred to above having been considered:

it was MOVED by Councillor Croad, SECONDED by Councillor Hart, and

RESOLVED

(a) that the implementation of the proposed flood improvements for Stokeinteignhead be approved; and

(b) that the revised funding sources and overall increase in the capital budget of £60,000 giving a total budget allocation of £780,324 also be approved.

[NB: The Impact Assessment referred to above may be viewed alongside Minutes of this meeting and may also be available at:  http://new.devon.gov.uk/impact/].