Agenda item

Councillor Nicola Beech, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Resilience and Floods provided some context by highlighting the links between the Bristol Avon Flood Strategy and local spatial strategies for urbanisation and building on brownfield land in the City Centre.  The Flood Strategy  was therefore said to be intrinsically linked to the Council’s ability to deliver its Local Plan. 

Shaun Hartley, the Project Director for the Bristol Avon Flood Strategy briefly took Members through the published slides. Which focussed on the following;

-        Strategic Approach; Wider ambition, responding to numerous city challenges

-        Indicative timeline, including the January 23^rd 2024 Cabinet approval of the Outline Business Case (OBC).

-        Key issues of planning, funding, timing, consultation

This was said to be an important time for what was described as a crucial project.  Currently, 1,300 existing properties are at risk of severe flood and if nothing was done that figure would rise to approximately 4,500 by the end of the century.

Flood risks were also said to be constraining development in the City and so further flood defences were needed if the City were to reach its ambitions.  They were also a vital part of ensuring the resilience of the whole City region.

With regards to funding there remained a significant capital funding gap, and as expected there had been upward pressures on costs over the past few years.  Officers were still working on the increased costs figures and the implications of these on the business case.  In attempt to try and close the funding gap they were continuing to explore opportunities with other local authorities and WECA.

The following points were discussed and questions asked;

Members asked for clarification on the different sources of the funding.  It was said that funding would come from various sources.  It was confirmed that a significant proportion of capital costs would be funded from grant aid which was administered by the Environment Agency (EA) on behalf of DEFRA. Last October the Council had committed just over £20m of future CIL towards the capital costs, £10m from reserves and £10m from the Economic Development Fund had been identified.  It was thought that some additional Community Infrastructure Levey (CIL) funding would also be required. 

The Interim Director of Economy of Place said this could be delivered compartmentally but there was still a need to have some certainty about the funding.  CIL was tied to developments and only available in tranches and so more stability was needed.  It was also necessary to get more from the projects such as housing and workspace and therefore the Council would look to the development industry to make contributions.  It would therefore take a cocktail of funding sources to fund this. 

A Member asked for clarification about the actual financial figures involved, half the funding had been identified but how much was that?  Officers said when the OBC work was complete they would be able to provide the figures but it was currently estimated that construction costs would be around the £216m.  

A Member asked about ‘piece-meal’ developments that were said to be causing missed opportunities, and the importance of not letting developments that have already happened stop the Council from protecting them going forward. It was said the Local Plan could help steer future and current developments.  It wasn’t in any way about stopping development, it was about steering it towards working with the Council on pre-applications and finding solutions. That was the message that was being put out but it was also important that developers kept up with and are clear of the Council’s expectations.

A Member asked about being reactive because it was not known what speed the climate would continue to change; so was there a degree of flexibility within the plans if things needed to be brought forward? In reply it was said that in terms of what the strategy needed to do, it was important to ensure mitigations works were completed first, but they would also be guided by when it’s possible to build out in certain areas, on the proviso that they were not going to cause detriment at any point.  The phasing and understanding of the key constraints were said to be a key part of the master plans and how the strategy could be delivered over time. 

It was asked what modelling scenario was being used to design the flood prevention schemes because it looked increasingly likely that global temperatures would increase by 1.5C earlier than had been hoped.  At what point would it be necessary to alter the current plans?  Officers said they used an adaptive approach and worked closely with the EA and the modelling that they provide which is kept up to date.  The maps are online and the information feeds into the plans.