Cove Road - Announcement of Intention Not to Prepare

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY
ANNOUNCEMENT OF INTENTION NOT TO PREPARE
AN ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT Regulation 5 of the
Environmental Impact Assessment Land Drainage Improvement
Works (Amended) Regulations 1999 SI 1999/1783
Cove Brook Reservoir FAS Farnborough Resilience
MIOS (Measures in the Interest of Safety) Project
The Environment Agency gives notice that it proposes to carry out
improvement works to the flood defences on Cove Brook Flood
Storage Area (FSA) reservoir. It can be accessed from Hazel Avenue,
Cove, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 0EF (NGR SU 85550 55420)
and Cove Road, Farnborough, GU14 0HQ, (NGR SU 85676 55709).
The reservoir is approximately 2.25m high and 910m long, of which
around 20% is through private gardens. The proposed improvement
works will involve the following:
As the Undertaker for the Cove Brook FSA Statutory reservoir, the
Environment Agency is responsible for the safety of the reservoir
and compliance with the Reservoirs Act 1975 (the Act) at all times.
The Act and 2019 Section 10 Inspection Report dated May 2019,
requires us to complete improvement works by September 2024
which would allow the Cove Brook reservoir to meet the higher
standard of requirements for a large Category A Reservoir.
The work involves widening the faces of the embankment, filling
small low spots, and installing small, embedded kerbs to define
and protect the crest. Improved overflow protection will also be part
of the works. A 20m extension to the earth bund spillway at the
northern end is needed to improve discharge. Permeable footpaths
along the crest will be extended and improved. The scheme will
result in the removal of approximately 138 trees. The trees will be
removed in advance of the main works through the Environment
Agency statutory Undertaker powers.
Post construction, mitigation will be completed with a package
of work to be agreed for Rushmoor Borough Council to carry out
in the future, including relevant tree planting, grass establishment
and brook improvements, working alongside their recommendations.
We are also contributing financially to the Cove Brook Channel
Improvement project, a biodiversity partnership project with
Rushmoor Borough Council.
The Environment Agency considers that the improvement works are
not likely to have significant effects on the environment and does
not intend to prepare an environmental statement in respect of
them. A non-statutory Environmental Report can be obtained from
King’s Meadow House, King’s Meadow Road, Reading, RG18DQ.
The works can be considered to fall within Schedule 2, Part 13
Class D (a) and (b) of the of the Town & Country Planning (General
Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015. Works proposed
are works by the Environment Agency under Part 13 of the GPDO,
the Land Drainage Act, and the Water Resources Act.
Any person wishing to make representations in relation to the likely
environmental effects of the proposed improvement works should
do so, in writing, to the address specified below, within 30 days of
the date of publication of this notice.
For and on behalf of the Environment Agency
Tony Kirstein, Project Manager, King’s Meadow House,
King’s Meadow Road, Reading, RG1 8DQ