Archived press release

Water problems could scupper East of England housing plans

16 February 2006

Government housing plans for the East of England suffered a major set-back last night (Wednesday 15 February) when a public hearing heard that there was not enough water and sewage capacity to supply demand for proposed housing in the south of the region. The evidence backs concerns raised by Friends of the Earth that the proposed large scale development is simply not sustainable.

Experts from Thames Water told the public hearing taking place on the East of England Plan [1] that existing sewage treatment works would be overwhelmed by the proposed new development around Harlow, and that there is currently no technological solution to this sewage problem and no funding.

Environment Agency experts also said that water was an issue with the existing supply over licensed and over abstracted. But they said demand could be met by incorporating 25 per cent water efficiency in all the new build properties, combined with "considerable demand management for existing householders," new reservoirs, desalination plants and/or the use of water transfers from the north.

The Government wants 478,000 new homes in the East of England and these proposals are now being considered as part of the region's draft spatial strategy.

Friends of the Earth East of England Regional Campaigns Coordinator Mary Edwards said:

"It has always been quite clear that these proposals do not make sense because of the demand they will create for water and sewage treatment in this dry region, which is predicted to become drier with climate change. Now the experts have revealed yet more problems - and said no ready solution exists. This is what you get when you try to bend and twist the strategic planning process for political ends.

"John Prescott decided where he wanted the housing to go in his Sustainable Communities Plan before he did his homework. If the Government has made such a mistake for the Harlow area, we have to ask if they have made the same mistake on the other areas proposed for large scale development."

The hearing continues today and Friday.

Notes

[1] The East of England Plan is the East of England Regional Assembly's (EERA) draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). The public hearing, known as an Examination in Public, is being held at the Spirella Centre, Letchworth until March 3^rd 2006. The hearings are held before an independent Panel of Inspectors who will report to the Regional Assembly and Government later in 2006. Under Government rules, the public does not have a right to appear or be heard at the examination. Attendance is by invitation from the Panel of Inspectors.

The East of England Plan sets out the kind of development which will happen across the region by 2021 affecting every aspect of life in the region from agriculture and transport to coastal policies and the region's economy. In the Plan EERA proposes a rising population, more houses and development pressures such as road building and airport expansion. Specifically, the Plan proposes: - 478,000 new homes; - a 678,000 rise in population caused in part by inward migration; - 421,500 new jobs; new roads and airport expansion.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust