Water Neutrality Update

On 8 October the government announced that from 1 November 2025 thousands of new homes will be getting the go ahead to be built in North Sussex. It is anticipated that this will cover 21,000 homes in total including 4,000 that had previously been paused and a further 17,000 which can now also be unlocked. 

Background

These homes were previously prevented from being built over concerns about the amount of water being taken from wetlands and rivers in the Arun Valley within the Sussex North Water Resource Zone (WRZ). This issue stemmed from Natural England issuing a position statement in 2021 over concerns for protected habitats in the Arun Valley (among others) and the rare species that live there. This effectively stopped the approval of planning applications in the area unless they demonstrated 'water neutrality' which effectively meant the total water use after development could not be greater than before development.

New Research

Positively, Southern Water, who are the water company for this area, have stated that over the last 18 months, water tests have provided sufficient evidence to confirm that water abstraction has not caused harm to the wetlands in the WRZ, leading to this move forward.

Agreement 

As a result, an agreement has been reached between the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Southern Water and Natural England on new guidelines to protect the wetlands and wildlife whilst new homes in the area can be built. Southern Water have agreed to (at their cost):

• limit the amount of water taken from wetlands and rivers in the area,
• cut down on leaks,
• investigate new water resources,
• provide funding for habitat restoration, and
• change its water abstraction permits. 

Outcome

As a result of this agreement, DEFRA have stated these 21,000 new homes will be built to higher water efficiency standards following building regulation guidance for water-scarce areas which will reduce water use and aim to reduce pressure on local watercourses. 

This move will help the government chip away at the 1.5 million new homes target which they're aiming to build by the end of this parliament. This will also be a very welcome move for the local authorities that cover this area due to the strain water neutrality has put on their house building in the recent years.

Looking Forward

This is a good solution to the current water neutrality issue in North Sussex. However, where there are issues of water scarcity around the country, it is possible that these issues could lead to water neutrality measures. Currently water scarcity is a widespread issue in the southeast and East Anglia, particularly around Cambridge. This will require more research and more solutions to prevent more housing being blocked by water neutrality in the future.  

If you would like further information or to discuss this, please contact:

bob.sadler@howardkennedy.com or danielle.coglin@howardkennedy.com