Flood concerns for factory expansion

A lack of flooding strategy and objections from a drainage board could see the county council reject a retrospective waste application in Holbeach Hurn.

The application is by Midwest Polychem and relates to its site at Lodge Farm, Holbeach Hurn.
Permission was granted in 2023 to change the use of the buildings to a plastics processing facility and build three new bu-ildings.
There has been an allegation of unauthorised development, including storing waste plastic outside. A retrospective application for additional building, structures and exterior storage was then submitted.
Works have already taken place to create an office, storage bays, plant area, extension and boiler room.
South Holland Internal Drainage Board objects to the application due to non compliance with the board’s byelaws with respect to surface water drainage.
“The applicant has been invited to submit further information in relation to flood risk, drainage, discrepancies in the drawings and amenity impacts to support the application, however despite reminders for a response, to date, no detail has been submitted,” says a report going before county planners next week.
Members of the committee are advised to refuse the application for a number of reasons.
“The submitted flood risk assessment is inadequate, is not site specific and doesn’t demonstrate that the development would not be at harm from the risk of flooding,” says the report.
No drainage strategy has been submitted so it cannot be concluded that foul and surface water can be disposed of adequately and without causing pollution.
The final reason was given as the ‘lack of information and due to inconsistencies between the information that has been submitted and is cannot be concluded that the development is acceptable and of good design.
There are also discrepancies between the plans and a planning statement in relation to the location, size, scale and materials of the development.
“It should be noted that the development encroaches the red line of planning permission H09-0972-121 by approximately four metres,” the report says. It means if the retrospective application was granted, elements of the original application which have not been implemented would not have permission.
There were no objections from South Holland District Council, the Environment Agency or Anglian Water.
Holbeach Parish Council supports the application and highways want clarification of several elements.

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