Information on public speaking is available online
Minutes:
A statement was read out on behalf of Clem Davies, from the Lympstone Water Quality Group. The Lympstone Water Quality Group, which is coordinating a catchment-based project to assess, protect, and improve the water quality in the Wotton Brook and adjacent Exe Estuary. The statement set out the need for a strategy which embeds water quality into all stages of the planning process, along with flood risk and biodiversity. The lack of any real attention to water quality throughout the Local Plan, including Chapter 7, was concerning considering the following:
1. The fundamental importance of water quality to biodiversity, human health, and the local economy;
2. The widely reported range of pollutants in our natural watercourses from sewage
systems, agriculture, roads, and urban developments;
3. The impact of climate change – increasing surface water runoff which carries pollutants and causes flooding;
4. Wide public concern.
Neither the Sustainability Appraisal or the Site Selection Methodology adequately address water quality issues - and the draft Habitats Regulations Assessment has little clarity on this issue. Fundamentally, it needs to ensure that:
1. Water quality is considered early in the planning process - at the site selection, project concept, and design stages.
2. Consideration is given to catchment-based risks and the capacity of the sewage system.
3. Every planning application is supported by a water quality risk assessment.
4. Risk management controls are incorporated into the design, e.g., an effective surface water treatment system to prevent pollution.
5. The controls are maintained in perpetuity.
6. A temporary surface water treatment system is developed before construction work commences to prevent pollution (e.g., from sediment and oil).
Dr Karen Goaman, a Hawkchurch resident, addressed the committee on the lithium ion battery energy storage, covered under Chapter 7 being considered at the meeting. The risk of thermal runaway leading to a fire and explosion in a lithium ion battery energy storage system (BESS) cannot be eliminated. Suppression systems cannot stop an exothermic reaction. She outlined the extensive requirements needed to manage such a risk. No farming or biodiversity is possible on a BESS. She outlined changes needed to policy C03, including not permitting farming on a BESS site; and that developers should provide robust evidence including insurance cover for loss of life and livelihood; any decommissioning costs should also be met by the developer. She also made reference to substations and requested help to prevent developers taking advantage of rural land, not to industrialise it.
Mr Mo Dobson, representing the parish of Hawkchurch, also outlined the risks with lithium battery energy storage. He welcomed the improvements to the policy but asked for further enhancement by including a clear indication that the Environment Agency would be engaged with any proposals for containment in the event of an incident. He also asked for clear mapping of ground water source protection zones so that developers and officers were aware and clear on their location in relation to any BESS proposals, to avoid significant risks to private residents. Decommissioning guarantees were also needed, and he encouraged the use of storage functions – next to where generated and/or next to use such as high use sites like hospitals – for the energy generated.