Representation by Southern Water Services Limited (Southern Water Services Limited)
- Date submitted
- 20 October 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Relevant Representation – Rampion 2 Offshore Windfarm Project This relevant representation is submitted on behalf of Southern Water Services Limited (“SWS”). SWS is the appointed water and sewerage undertaker under the Water Industry Act 1991 for the area of the proposed development. As a result, SWS is subject to a number of strict statutory duties for the supply of water to c. 2.6 million people and providing sewerage services to c. 46 million people. SWS is therefore a statutory undertaker for the purposes of section 127 of the Planning Act 2008. Should the proposed Development Consent Order (“the DCO”) be made to authorise Rampion Extension Development Limited (“the Applicant”) to construct, operate and maintain the proposed Rampion 2 Offshore Windfarm (“the Scheme”), it would permit development within the Order limits in areas where SWS is responsible for providing water and sewerage services. To fulfil its statutory duties, SWS maintains a wide range of apparatus that is critical to the continuing efficacy of its services. If made, the DCO would authorise the exercise of powers over or near land in which SWS maintains assets and/or has other rights for the purposes of discharging its statutory duties. Unchecked, the exercise of such powers in respect of SWS’s interests would cause severe detriment to it. Furthermore, should the DCO be made, it would authorise works within certain of SWS’s groundwater abstraction capture zones – further information is required from the Applicant to confirm that the construction and operation of the Scheme would not give rise to any adverse effects on these zones, and that sufficient mitigation measures will be put in place. SWS notes the ‘standard’ set of protective provisions for the benefit of statutory undertakers contained in Part 1 of Schedule 10 to the draft DCO. SWS intends to engage with the Applicant on these matters going forward but absent such an arrangement having yet been formalised, SWS is obliged at this stage to formally object to the DCO application on the basis of the Scheme causing severe detriment to SWS’s apparatus and operations. SWS will engage with the Applicant with a view to reaching a satisfactory arrangement during the examination. SWS does not propose at this stage to submit a Principal Areas of Disagreement Summary (“PADS”), given SWS understands there to be no SoCG between SWS and the Applicant in front of the Examining Authority presently. However, SWS would be very happy to submit a PADS alongside any SoCG in due course, if the Examining Authority would consider it beneficial.