Representation by North Kent Marshes Internal Drainage Board (North Kent Marshes Internal Drainage Board)
- Date submitted
- 23 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
As both permanent and temporary works fall within the drainage district of the North Kent Marshes Internal Drainage Board, we would like to make comments regarding flood risk from primarily surface water. We understand that rainfall runoff from the South Portal construction compound will be discharged to a ditch in Filborough Marshes and the Board would like to make representation on this, and any construction phase drainage plan produced by the Contractor. Areas we address are flood risk, land drainage, water level management, pollution control and ecology. The Board understands that consent to undertake activities requiring drainage to ordinary watercourses; consent required under the Land Drainage Act 1991 byelaws; and consent to obstruct ordinary watercourses are within the DCO and considered permitted by various provisions of the Planning Act 2008. The North Kent Marshes Internal Drainage Board have recently adopted Byelaws and we would like to make representation on any works affecting watercourses within the Board’s district including comments on culverting, watercourse crossings and outfalls. Also we have comments regarding the ‘main works access routes’ and the ‘main works compounds’ that are sited within the Board’s district. With respect to access for maintenance of Board maintained watercourses, the Board would like to make representation on the construction site limits and the access we require onto Filborough Marshes to undertake ditch maintenance. We are particularly interested in height and width restrictions, and road closures that may impact on our ability to work in this area. The Board would like to comment on intended routes to manage any exceedance overland flow paths that may come from the retention ponds just upstream of our district and any stockpiling sites in the Board’s District. From the Environmental Masterplan Section 4 Sheet 4 TR010032/APP/6.2, a wetland habitat creation just north of the Thames Medway Canal is shown. The Board would like to make representation on this issue. The proposed ground protection tunnel, main tunnels and cross-passages also have the potential to cause groundwater lowering of the shallow water system at the Thames Estuary and Marshes Ramsar site, which is assigned very high importance. The Board would like to make representation on this issue.