Pooping on planning: How the sewage crisis is blocking development

But the same could be said of ‘urban creep’, when land is paved or built on and more homes plug into the sewers – an issue that exacerbates flooding, which then worsens sewage overflows.

 

High levels of nitrates and phosphates encourage algal blooms that can kill a river by starving its aquatic species of oxygen, also known as eutrophication.

 

“Whilst it is acknowledged that much of this load comes from intensive agriculture (e.g. fertilisers), Natural England raised fresh concerns that the final effluent from sewage treatment works was also likely to add to this load,” says James Mortimer, Land Regeneration and Sustainable Living Specialist at Yellow Sub Geo Ltd.

 

“The nutrient issue is new and both Natural England and Natural Resources Wales have issued guidance to affected LPAs stating that planning can’t be granted unless the development is neutral in terms of downstream output from the sewage works – nitrate in seawater and phosphate in fresh water,” says Mortimer.

 

“This has left LPAs in limbo to work out on their own how to implement this – which means that every affected LPA does it differently and are all paying for calculators with some accepting s106 contributions and some not.”

 

There is only so much nitrate trading and offsetting that can take place, suggesting there will be a natural cap on development

 

Some LPAs have created offsite mitigation schemes funded by developers, taking agricultural land out of intense farming to offset nitrogen inputs. Others collect financial contributions, with future offset in mind.

 

In the Solent area, the government set up a nitrate trading auction platform for South-East Hampshire which allows developers buy credits. If successful, the pilot nitrate trading programme could go national.

 

But there is only so much trading and offsetting that can take place, which suggests there will be a natural cap on development.

 

All of these approaches are based on nutrient neutrality – ie. not making the situation worse – with a view to get the planning system back up and running.

 

That’s where industry insiders say the Environment Bill falls short. The Bill does not commit to an improvement in river water quality, nor does it climate-proof the current sewage system. It offers neither prevention nor cure, making further planning moratoriums inevitable.

 

Along with commitments to upgrade the current sewage system, the Environment Bill could have brought in mandatory Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) on development sites, such as swales, to absorb and clean rainwater run-off; SUDS are currently non-statutory technical guidance. The Environment Bill only promises a review to consider the SUDS requirement.

 

Indeed, the Environment Bill failure to set targets undermines its most ambitious policy – biodiversity net gain. Under the bill, developers will be expected to measure biodiversity before and after development and improve biodiversity on site by 10%. But there is no biodiversity in, or around, a dead river. The Environment Bill also fails to set targets for soil quality and does not meet WHO air quality guidelines. As one government insider stated, "What’s 10% net gain on zero biodiversity? Exactly."

 

Even the Prime Minister’s own ambition to “Build Back Beaver” is under threat, as expressed in his plug for rewilding in his conference speech. The first wild beaver colony to live on an English river for 400 years is facing an influx of raw sewage from the Honiton treatment works in Devon, responsible for dumping 2,442 hours of raw sewage into the river last year.

 

The Environment Bill’s failure to set targets undermines its most ambitious policy – biodiversity net gain. "What’s 10% net gain on zero biodiversity? Exactly"

 

Brexit is not, as once promised, resulting in higher environmental standards. On 7 September, the government announced that it would allow businesses to pollute rivers and the sea in response to a shortage of water treatment chemicals caused by Brexit and the HGV driver shortage. The Environment Agency said companies could “discharge effluent without meeting the conditions” of their permits, with the pass lasting until 2022, with the possibility of an extension.

 

Meanwhile, Environment Agency chief of staff John Leyland warned Britons not to swim in any English rivers. Surfers have reported experiencing severe gastroenteritis due to poor water quality off the Cornish coast. British waters have also been reported to contain worrying levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In early October, thousands of residents in Sussex and Kent were advised to boil their tap water after E. coli was found. Serious incidents of water pollution logged with the Environment Agency are up 23% year-on-year to March 2021.

 

The Environment Bill is still making its way through parliament. In response to the strength of feeling around water pollution, the House of Lords is still pushing for amendments that would sufficiently tackle water pollution, as well as greater powers for an independent green watchdog.

 

Should it fail to protect and restore the waters of this once green and pleasant land, more planning hold-ups are certain to follow as English waters grow toxic for humans and beavers alike.