Policy information sourced from Richmond Upon Thames Local Plan

LP 23 Water Resources and Infrastructure

The borough’s water resources and supplies will be protected by resisting development proposals that would pose an unacceptable threat to the borough’s rivers, surface water and groundwater quantity and quality. This includes pollution caused by water run-off from developments into nearby waterways.

Water Quality

The Council encourages proposals that seek to increase water availability or protect and improve the quality of rivers or groundwater.

The development or expansion of water supply or waste water facilities will normally be permitted, either where needed to serve existing or proposed new development, or in the interests of long term water supply and waste water management, provided that the need for such facilities outweighs any adverse land use or environmental impact.

Where rivers have been classified by the Environment Agency as having ‘poor’ status, any development affecting such rivers is encouraged to improve the water quality in these areas.

Water and sewerage provision

New major residential or major non-residential development will need to ensure that there is adequate water supply, surface water, foul drainage and sewerage treatment capacity to serve the development.

Planning permission will only be granted for developments which increase the demand for off-site service infrastructure where:

  • sufficient capacity already exists, or
  • extra capacity can be provided in time to serve the development, which will ensure that the environment and the amenities of local residents are not adversely affected.

Applicants for major developments will be required to provide evidence in the form of written confirmation as part of the planning application that capacity exists in the public sewerage and water supply network to serve their development.

Any new water supply, sewerage or waste water treatment infrastructure must be in place prior to occupation of the development. Financial contributions may be required for new developments towards the provision of, or improvements to, such infrastructure.

For more information please see the Local Plan