In September 2021, Natural England raised significant concerns over the amount of water being abstracted in the Sussex North Water Resource Zone and the potential adverse impacts on designated habitats across parts of Horsham, Crawley and Chichester districts, and the South Downs National Park.
To prevent any further harm to these habitats, Natural England advised all proposals for new development in the Water Resource Zone must demonstrate water neutrality in order to be approved.
To demonstrate water neutrality, new development must result in the same or lower amount of water use than that which is currently consumed on site. Water neutrality can be achieved through the use of water-saving devices, more-efficient appliances and grey-water recycling but has, so far, proved difficult to demonstrate.
Since Natural England issued its original advice, local authorities in the Water Resource Zone have been devising a strategy to reduce water abstraction and allow up to 19,800 new homes to come forward by 2039.
A Water Neutrality Mitigation Strategy has now been published which sets out a two-stage approach to managing water abstraction in the Water Resource Zone. Stage 1 seeks to reduce demand by imposing a water consumption target of 85 litres per person per day on all new developments (compared to 110 l/p/d recommended previously). Stage 2 then requires developers to pay a fee to local authorities to offset additional demand elsewhere (details for which are still to be finalised).
DLBP is currently advising its clients about how the water neutrality mitigation strategy will affect new developments in the Sussex North Water Resource Zone.
If you have any queries about this matter and how it may affect your proposal, please contact Jack Allenby at jackallenby@dlbp.uk or 020 3713 8505.