Proposed Submission: Gravesham Local Plan Core Strategy

• New developments should ensure, through appropriate mitigationmeasures, that flood damage is limited in order to remove the risk ofloss of life;• New developments should be "future proofed" against uncertainty andlocal flood risk assessments will help address this;• When the opportunity arises, flood gates should be replaced with soliddefences and the provision of new gates to enable access to theforeshore should be discouraged; and• New developments should provide and maintain flood managementinfrastructure.5.14.11 Most of the Borough's Opportunity Areas, and the key sites withinthem, are in areas at risk of tidal flooding along the River Thames. Theseareas have been identified for development required in order to achieve thelong-standing strategy of regenerating Gravesham by the concentration ofdevelopment on previously developed land. As a result, some sites identifiedalong the Thames Riverside do not comply with the sequential approach.Therefore, these will need to meet the exceptions test set out in the NPPFwhich means that they will need design solutions that provide a safeenvironment for those living and working there. Other sites which comeforward in the Borough will need to meet the sequential test. In order toassess whether the sequential and exceptions tests are met, proposals fordevelopment in flood risk areas will need to be accompanied by a Flood RiskAssessment and a Flood Risk Management Plan.5.14.12 Given the risk of tidal flooding in Gravesham, the future changeswhich may come about as a result of the TE2100 project and therecommendations of the SFRA, the Council will seek to prioritise themaintenance, improvement or replacement of flood defence infrastructureover other land uses.Sustainable Drainage and Surface Water Run-Off5.14.13 Whilst waste water capacity is primarily an infrastructure issue,climate change will have an impact on the waste water system due toincreased winter rainfall and storm events. This means that combined sewers178