From: Sam Tate Sent: 28 May 2021 15:43 To: Brian Reeves (brian1946@btinternet.com); Brian Reeves Subject: FW: (Case Ref: GK16317) FAO Brian Reeves, Chairman of East Wittering and Bracklesham Parish Council Attachments: Response from CP to GK.pdf Sam Tate Parish Clerk East Wittering and Bracklesham Parish Council Bracklesham Barn, Beech Avenue, Bracklesham Bay, PO20 8HU Tel: 01243 673588 www.ewbpc.org.uk From: Gillian Keegan MP Sent: 28 May 2021 10:54 To: Enquiries Cc: Sam Tate Subject: (Case Ref: GK16317) FAO Brian Reeves, Chairman of East Wittering and Bracklesham Parish Council Dear Brian Thank you for furnishing me with a copy of your letter to Robert Jenrick MP, the Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Following receipt of your letter, I also wrote onto MHCLG to highlight your letter for their attention. I have now received a response from Rt. Hon Christopher Pincher MP, the Minister of State for Housing, which I’ve attached for your reference. I was pleased to note that Christopher has clarified the relevant provisions within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and it is reassuring to know that the cumulative effect of development and associated infrastructure can be relevant to the determination of planning applications. My office has been contacted by a number of residents with their concerns about water and sewage infrastructure in our area, particularly about the number of releases and the implications should further development be permitted without significant improvements. You may be aware that I’ve held a number of meetings to highlight these issues and to better understand how they can be addressed. I have met with Ofwat who regulate the water industry on several occasions, as well as with Ian McAulay, the Chief Executive of Southern Water in order to better understand the ongoing work to improve capacity in and around Chichester, to mitigate environmental impacts, as well as the work to improve Southern Water’s performance and encourage a closer relationship between the District Council and the company moving forward. I also recently held a meeting with the Area Director at the Environment Agency (EA) to discuss the environmental concerns affecting our area and the ongoing monitoring, enforcement and investigations led by the EA. As the agency responsible for environmental enforcement, the discussion centred around ongoing actions against Southern Water and the EA’s preparedness to increase monitoring operations to prevent further releases. You may be interested to know that I met with Rebecca Pow MP, the Minister for the Environment, where I was joined by fellow MPs, Alan Mak (Havant) and Penny Mordaunt (Portsmouth North) whose areas are also served by Southern Water. We are working together to establish a regional forum of MPs across the south who are similarly affected in order to best channel our efforts and look into any immediate action that may be taken to improve the situation. I was encouraged by the latest update from the Storm Overflows Taskforce who have announced collective agreement on a long term goal to end pollution from storm overflows. Following recommendations from the Taskforce, made up of DEFRA, the Environment Agency, Ofwat, Consumer Council for Water, Blueprint for Water and Water UK, water companies will also be required to increase transparency around when and how storm overflows are used. Further, the much-anticipated Environment Bill will bring in ‘Drainage and Sewerage Management Plans’ (DWMPs) on a statutory basis to address sewer overflows, with annual reviews and five-year improvement plans. DWMPs will require that each sewerage undertaker must prepare a drainage and sewerage management plan that will address relevant environmental risks and how they are to be mitigated, and this will include sewer overflows and their impact on water quality. These provisions will increase levels on monitoring and oversight easing the burden on the Environment Agency in bringing enforcement action against water companies who don’t meet their obligations to consumers and the environment. You may also be aware of the recent report from Natural England that identified most of the Chichester Harbour, AONB SSSI area as ‘unfavourable declining’. Following its publication earlier this year, I met with Natural England’s Area Director, James Seymour and Susan Taylor, the Cabinet Member for Planning at the District Council to discuss this report and what it means for our area. Centrally, this report will give the Council and Natural England a body of evidence to reference when considering future planning applications and will also allow for greater pressure to be placed on Southern Water and Ofwat, the regulator, to take action. Natural England has agreed to work closely with Chichester District Council moving forward, on both interim planning applications and their development of a new local plan. I know that many residents on the Manhood Peninsula are concerned that this report only applies to the Chichester Harbour area. However, I have also followed up in writing to James Seymour to highlight the concerns of those on the Manhood who’re similarly affected by these issues, and to enquire whether any comparable study was being undertaken of the waters around Manhood. In the time being, it’s also clear there is much more to do and I have already arranged a follow up meeting with the Environment Agency discuss my findings and any further action which can be taken. I hope you find this response helpful. With best wishes, Gillian Gillian Keegan MP Member of Parliament for Chichester Your contact details are used in accordance with Gillian Keegan’s Privacy Notice.