Marshall agrees with this policy and is fully supportive. Cambridge East lies within Flood Zone 1 and is therefore at a low risk of fluvial flooding. The potential for all flood sources, including pluvial (overland surface water runoff), will be fed through design development, ensuring that flood risk is not increased elsewhere and that the development itself remains safe. This will be an integral part of the green infrastructure strategy, with ‘blue corridors’ maintained for preferential exceedance flow routes. This will ensure natural flood management is provided, in line with the principles of the Local Plan. This will ensure that the development is future proofed, and that water management is integrated within the emerging vision.

Cambridge East’s vision is for an exemplary water management strategy, ensuring that surfaces remain permeable where feasible, and that runoff rates are not increased above those existing. This is in line with the Local Plan proposals. Rainwater harvesting is top of the drainage hierarchy and is being explored in detail at Cambridge East, with potential discharge into and extraction from the aquifer using innovative techniques to maximise wider benefits, including for biodiversity. Further discussions will be held with WRE, the EA, and Anglian Water. Marshall also agrees that the future of SuDS within developments needs to be defined, and in line with the Local Plan proposals we will put in place robust management and maintenance plans to ensure that the highly sustainable water management strategy functions as intended for the lifetime of the development.