Programme : Planning for Water – a joint Royal Town Planning Institute SE / Centre for Aquatic Environments conference 19th June 2023

Planning for Water – a joint Royal Town Planning Institute SE / Centre for Aquatic Environments conference 19^th June 2023

“We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one” Jacques Yves Cousteau

 Programme

9.15am               Registration and refreshments

9.45am               Welcome and introduction Chairs

Simon Taylor, RTPI South East Chair and DLUHC

Prof Chris Joyce, Director, Centre for Aquatic Environments, University of Brighton

10.00amThe state of the water environment and planning challenges

Chair: Laura Archer, RTPI SE Senior Vice-Chair and Gillings Planning

Harry Steele, RTPI Infrastructure Specialist

Hannah Hyland, Environment Agency (Senior Advisor – Local Nature Recovery Strategies)

Questions and Discussions

11.00am             Tea/coffee break

11.20am             Nutrient Neutrality

Chair + speaker: Simon Kennedy, Partnership for South Hampshire (PfSH)

Peter Home, Gillings Planning

Peter Cruddas – University of Portsmouth

Questions and Discussions

12:20pm             Lunch and Networking

1.20pm               Maximising the use of multiple benefit sustainable drainage systems

Chair: Joseph Mephosa, Metis Homes

Susie Howells, The Aquifer Partnership

Martin Smith / Polly Walters, University of Brighton

Jo Bradley, Stormwater Shepherds

Questions and Discussions

2.20pm               Investing in Coastal Wetlands

Chair: TBC

Karolina Skalska / Chris Joyce , University of Brighton & University of Portsmouth (Solent to Sussex Bay) Seascape Restoration Research Network

Paul Brewer, Adur and Worthing Council

Pete King, Ouse and Adur Rivers Trust

Questions and Discussions

3:20pm               Tea/coffee break

3.40pm               Water scarcity and Neutrality

Chair: Andrew Coleman, University of Brighton / RTPI SE

Sandra Norval, Future Growth Lead Developer Services, Southern Water

Louise Bardsley, Principal Adviser on Strategic Solutions – Evaluation and Water for Nature Natural England

Questions and Discussions

4.40pm               Panel discussion

5.00pm               Thanks and closing remarks

Simon Taylor, RTPI SE Chair and DLUHC

Chris Joyce, University of Brighton

 Optional:

5:00pm -6.30pm

Tour of Carden Ave SuDS with Susie Howells (TAP / Martin Smith)

(Delegates will be dropped off at University of Brighton for Moulsecoomb Station)

6.30pm-8.00pm

Networking at Moulsecoomb Forest Garden and Wildlife Project (east side of Moulsecoomb station)

Abstract

The issue of water management has never been as important to spatial planners, developers and the environment. Water scarcity, pollution and flooding have all become more significant planning considerations in recent years. The Government is promising to ‘fix’ issues of nutrient overload partly by allowing developers to buy ‘credits’ for creation of new wetlands. Wastewater storage and treatment is going to be accelerated by a Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan and a House of Lords Committee has called for an overarching integrated water strategy. Water scarcity is delaying developments in north Sussex and will be come a more widespread issue as climate change worsens. It is likely that Sustainable Drainage Systems and wetland creation will be given a boost by the removal of the automatic ‘right to connect’ to the public sewer and a greater recognition of the multiple benefits of natural solutions to water resource management.

This important joint RTPI South East / University of Brighton Centre for Aquatic Environments Global Challenges event will bring together planning practitioners, aquatic researchers, regulators and the water industry to address some of the pressing challenges around water neutrality, water quality, coastal habitat restoration and meeting new environmental targets.

Speakers include

• Harry Steele, Infrastructure Lead at the Royal Town Planning Institute
• Hannah Hyland, Local Nature Recovery Strategies Senior Advisor at the Environment Agency
• Sandra Norval, Future Growth Lead Developer Services, Southern Water
• Dr Peter Cruddas, University of Portsmouth
• Simon Kennedy, Environmental Specialist, South Hampshire Councils
• Susie Howells, The Aquifer Partnership
• Jo Bradley, Stormwater Shepherds
• Polly Walters, University of Brighton
• Peter Home, Gillings Planning
• Laura Archer, Gillings Planning
• Paul Brewer, Adur and Worthing Councils
• Peter King, Ouse and Adur Rivers Trust
• Louise Bardsley, Natural England
• Karolina Skalska – University of Portsmouth (Seascape Restoration Project)
• Prof Chris Joyce, University of Brighton (Centre for Aquatic Environments)

At the end of the conference, there will be an optional site visit to a completed multiple benefit sustainable drainage system, led by Susie Howells of The Aquifer Partnership. This will finish back at the University of Brighton (Huxley Building – next to Moulsecoomb rail station) for an optional networking event at the Moulsecoomb Forest Garden and Wildlife Project.

Speakers will cover questions such as

• What is the current state of the water environment and current and future planning challenges?
• What is the latest research on Nutrient Neutrality and can it be achieved?
• What is the contribution of multiple benefit sustainable drainage systems to reducing groundwater pollution and how can they be implemented?
• How can investing in Coastal Wetlands be facilitated and implemented?
• What are some of the opportunities to address water scarcity and neutrality?

This will be a conference for students, researchers and academics interested in addressing the current and future challenges of access to adequate and clean water resources. The multi-disciplinary speakers will enable an exchange of knowledge and opportunities for partnership-building.

Six free places  have been made available for Centre for Aquatic Environments members. To book your place contact Suzy Armsden for details

Please book here RTPI | Planning for Water