Please find attached the minutes and PowerPoint presentation slides for September’s stakeholder meeting. A progress update below:

Hardley Flood

· We are on track to submit the planning application for Phase 1 (Chedgrave Common up to the Bird Hide) by 22 December 2023. We expect the Broads Authority to make a decision on the planning application within 4 to 6 weeks.

· We will email the stakeholder group once the application is live on the planning portal, so that everyone can view the submission and provide comments/letters of support should they wish

· We are developing the Environment Agency Flood Risk Activity Permit (FRAP) in parallel to the planning application. This is a separate document.

· We are currently drafting an Invitation To Tender (ITT) document for technical drawings and construction works. We will complete this by 22 December, ready for release in early January. We will collate and score responses to the ITT w/c 29 January. Upon appointing a contractor, we will then be able to develop and provide a detailed works programme and timetable, which we will share with the stakeholder group.

· The next stakeholder meeting will be rescheduled until after the Broads Authority have responded to the planning application and a contractor has been appointed. Until these two actions are complete, we will have very little to update the group on, and are keen to make best use of time and resource.

· We have contacted Natural England for their Discretionary Advice Service (DAS) for Phase 2 works. We require their input and ecological mitigation advice in order to plan works as part of Phase 2 and develop an accurate costings model.

· We recommend complete replacement of the bird hide, which is in very poor condition. This would fall under permitted development and should be fairly straight forward to action. We have approached the Parish Council to offer our support in sourcing funding and delivering a full replacement. We believe this could be achieved through FiPL funding, at little or no cost to the Parish Council. We are currently waiting for their response.

· The Broads Authority are planning to reprofile (level and shape the banks from the dried dredged material) all the way up to the bird hide as part of Phase 1. This will begin in May 2024. NCC will sow grass seed on the PRoW as soon as this work is complete.

· We expect all Phase 1 works to be completed by July-August 2024.

Bramerton FP5

• The planning application is currently being drafted. NCC to submit to Broads Authority by 22 December 2023. A decision is expected within 4 to 6 weeks.
• We are currently drafting a 3-way agreement between BA, NCC and the landowner, as the landowner will need to agree to ongoing maintenance for the river bank.
• Tree works are scheduled for January ahead of bird nesting season and the start of construction
• We expect works to start in March-April 2024.