Ep154: How a lack of sewage treatment capacity is blocking applications for new homes across England

Room 106

In this Deep Dive edition, we discuss how rising public concern about sewage pollution in rivers, plus inadequate levels of investment in water treatment capacity, is leading to thousands of new homes across England being blocked or postponed.

Planning editor Richard Garlick and Planning special correspondent Joey Gardiner discuss Joey’s investigation into the issue, published by Planning last week.

It shows how:

• water companies are recommending that many applications for homes are refused, or conditions blocking occupation applied, because of water treatment capacity issues
• in one area in which 300,000 homes are needed by 2030, the planned investment in water treatment capacity improvements is only adequate for 175,000, not all of them in places where the planning system says homes are needed
• in the same area, there is a particular shortage of capacity in large towns and cities where growth would normally be focussed
• similar issues are affecting housebuilding in other parts of England, with at least one council imposing conditions restricting occupation without having been asked to do so by the local water company, and having had its approach endorsed at appeal

In addition, we’ll be rounding up the key planning news from the past week to make sure you’re up to speed on all the goings-on in the sector.

Key planning news, and why it’s important, brought to you by the team behind Planning magazine, the leading source of independent intelligence for planning professionals for more than 50 years.

Find the latest planning news at planningresource.co.uk and @PlanningMag

Room 106 was the Professional Publishers Association’s Podcast of the Year 2023/24. It was also highly commended in the Best Use of Audio category in the Association of Online Publishers’ Digital Publishing Awards 2024.

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