Surrey, Community Consultation for the River Thames Scheme

Notice Publicising a Statement of Community Consultation in accordance with Section 47 (6) of the Planning Act 2008

River Thames Scheme

The Environment Agency and Surrey County Council are proposing to submit an application to the Secretary of State under section 37 of the Planning Act 2008 for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to authorise the River Thames Scheme ("the Scheme"). In December 2020, the Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) issued a direction under section 35 of the Act, that the RTS should be treated as a Scheme of national significance for which development consent is required.

The Scheme presents a landscape-based approach to creating a healthier, more sustainable, and more resilient communities by reducing the risk of flooding and creating high quality natural environments.

The proposed Scheme includes the following key elements:

- The creation of a new flood channel in two sections through the boroughs of Runnymede and Spelthorne, totalling over 5 miles (8.5km) long;

- Capacity improvements to the Sunbury, Molesey and Teddington weirs to increase the amount of water that can flow through them. This would involve installing more gates that can be opened when river levels rise;

- Capacity improvements to the River Thames through lowering the middle part of the bed of the River Thames downstream of Desborough Cut;

- New green open spaces associated with the flood channel, with access for local communities and facilities such as sports fields, accessible pathway network, nature play spaces and associated new landscape features;

- Priority areas for habitat creation, enhancement and mitigation, which link existing and new wildlife corridors, improve fish passage and build upon the network of existing wildlife sites;

- New or improved active travel provision associated with the flood channel corridor in areas of enhanced public connection, linking to the existing network and two new pedestrian and cycle bridges across the River Thames at Chertsey and Desborough Island;

- Changes to the road layout and utilities, including temporary diversions during construction;

- Temporary construction features such as site compounds and materials processing and storage sites; and

- Temporary car parking for construction workers.

It is also the case that once built, the flood channel will be considered in legal terms to be a 'flood defence structure' and it is intended that it will also be a 'main river'. Further information on what this means is contained in the statutory consultation brochure available and on the consultation website set out below.

Statement of Community Consultation

The Statement of Community Consultation (SoCC) sets out how the Environment Agency and Surrey County Council will consult with people living in the vicinity of the Scheme and how to get involved in accordance with section 47 of the Planning Act 2008. Under section 47, the Environment Agency and Surrey County Council have a duty to consult the local community about its proposals in accordance with a SoCC.

The SoCC is available for inspection online free of charge, within the consultation document library at

www.riverthamesscheme.org.uk, in hard copy at our consultation events or on request.

Consultation events

We will be hosting a series of consultation events where you can speak with a Scheme representative and can view the consultation materials in person. Additionally, we will be hosting virtual events for those unable to attend the in-person consultation events. Should you wish to attend one of the virtual events, registration is required via the Scheme email address enquiries@riverthamesscheme.org.uk

Further details regarding dates and locations of the consultation events and virtual events can be found below:

Virtual events

How to Respond to the Consultation

Responses to the consultation can be submitted in the following ways:

1. Online feedback form: Hosted on Citizen Space with a direct link included in the Scheme website www.riverthamesscheme.org.uk

2. Paper feedback form: Available at our public consultation events and returning it to the address below.

3. Written feedback: FREEPOST RTUK - RBLY - XUBT, RIVER THAMES SCHEME, 5 First Street, Manchester, M15 4GU

4. Email address: enquiries@riverthamesscheme.org.uk

Responses must be received no later than 23:59 on the 4th March 2024.

Responses received after this time may not be considered.

Contact Us

The Environment Agency and Surrey County Council will consider and have regard to all responses when developing the Application once the consultation has closed. Responses will form the basis of a Consultation Report that will be one of the factors taken into consideration by the Planning Inspectorate when deciding whether the Application can be accepted for examination. Therefore, in providing any comment, it should be borne in mind that the substance of it may be communicated to others as part of the Consultation Report. Any responses that are published as part of the Consultation Report will have all personal details redacted. However, the Planning Inspectorate can request copies of unredacted responses. Further details can be found on our privacy notice on the Scheme website www.riverthamesscheme.org.uk/privacy

If you have any queries about this notice, the Scheme or the consultation, please contact us using the details provided below.

- Telephone: Surrey County Council Contact Centre - 03456 009 009

- Email: enquiries@riverthamesscheme.org.uk

- Text (SMS): 07860 053 465 (for the deaf or hard of hearing community)

- Textphone: (via Relay UK): 18001 03456 009 009