South Of Existing Reservoir By Gravel Pit Wood 1.5km West Of Alderton Village Alderton Suffolk
Prior Notification Agricultural - A balanced cut and fill earthmoving operation to construction additional irrigation water storage at the existing reservoir site. No materials will be brought onto or leave the site . The geology is sand and as such a High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) membrane will be required to contain the water. The project falls within the safety legislation of the Reservoirs Act.Why necessary for agriculture: Deben Farms is an intensive farming business, growing root crops on the light sand lands of the Suffolk coastal strip. The potato and vegetable crops require a reliable source of irrigation, to ensure reliable yields and quality , which give UK retailers confidence to contract with Deben Farms.2050 climate change predictions suggest that water requirements for Deben Farms cropping will increase by 18%. On the supply side the Environment Agency have indicated that cutbacks to existing licenses are likely to be in the region of 25%, to allow them to protect the environment.Deben Farms are looking to capture the only sustainable resource that is open to them, the high flow water that flows through the farm in the Queens Fleet, much of which is then pumped into the North Sea via the Internal Drainage Board pump at Bawdsey.These high flows are only available to abstract in the winter, hence the need to provide a additional water storage capacity in order to have water available for the summer irrigation requirements.Why designed for agriculture: By providing the additional storage as an extension to the existing reservoir it is possible to utilise all the existing electric pumps and pipework and connecting under ground mains at the site.