The proposed development would be located on land that is within flood zones 2 and 3. It is national and local policy that development should be directed away from areas at the highest risk of flooding and that, if there are reasonably available sites appropriate for the development in areas with a lower probability of flooding that development should not be permitted. In this case there are alternative sites which could accomodate the development in settlements which are equally or more sustainable. Additionally the Flood Risk Assessment does not suggest that a sequential approach to flooding has been taken within the site itself and does not demonstrate why this is the case. Accordingly the proposal conflicts with the advice given in the NPPF (para's 100-104, the advice in the Policy Practice Guidance and policy CS16 of the Core Strategy.

The proposed development is centred around its own separate access point off Brook Street and has no connection in terms of form or function with the adjacent housing development. Added to this it involves substantial loss of a planted landscape buffer and a public art feature, both of which form an integral part of the established housing development. The loss of these important features in the streetscene combined with the poorly integrated form of the development would lead to the proposal being out of keeping with the character of the area. In this respect the proposal fails to comply with policies CS2 and EV/1 of the Development Plan.