Agenda item - Brighton ChaMP (Chalk Management Partnership) for Water 2020 onwards

Report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture

1)            That the Committee notes the information about ChaMP, its proposed projects and its plans for the next five years.

67.1      The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Economy, Environment & Culture that provided information on the Brighton Chalk Management Partnership (ChaMP) project, its proposed projects and plans for the next five years.

67.2      Councillor Brown asked if ChaMP were routinely consulted on major developments and specifically, on the proposed Toad’s Hole Valley development.

67.3      The Assistant Director - City Development & Regeneration explained that ChaMP were not a statutory consultee. However, water cleanliness and water run-off were planning application matters and some of the ChaMP partners such as Southern Water and the Environment Agency would consider such matters as part of that process.

67.4      Councillor Wares welcomed the report that was a key element in managing nitro pollution and mitigating surface water flooding. Councillor Wares expressed concern that if the Shaping Climate Change Adaptive Places (SCAPE) project were to fail, that would negatively impact upon resident’s perception of the benefit of potential ChaMP projects.

67.5      The Assistant Director - City Development & Regeneration explained that the plants used for the SCAPE project would be specifically chosen for their ability to clean water supplies.

67.6      In response, Councillor Wares confirmed that he was aware the plants would be chosen for a specific purpose. However, the visual presentation received on ChaMP had been very impressive and he hoped that could be shared more widely to offset any potential concerns relating to SCAPE.

67.7      RESOLVED-

1)            That the Committee notes the information about ChaMP, its proposed projects and its plans for the next five years.