Wastewater issues stall almost 30,000 homes – HBF

Almost 30,000 new homes are currently blocked due to a “failure to build wastewater capacity” and inconsistencies in wastewater policy application, while housebuilders have paid nearly £2.3 billion to water companies since 2020 to support infrastructure enhancements, according to the Home Builders Federation. It has called upon the government to “act urgently”.

HBF’s new report, A Drain on the Nation, reveals that planning permissions are being delayed or refused because of perceived sewerage capacity issues “even where water companies have not raised objections”. The number of homes stalled by this situation includes 7,000 affordable homes.

HBF pointed to national planning policy, instructing that water and sewerage companies take responsibility for wastewater infrastructure, not individual planning applicants.

And it cited the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), clearly stating that local planning authorities should assume infrastructure providers will honour their legal duties. But it said, an increasing number of local authorities were refusing to grant planning consent or discharge planning conditions due to apparent concerns over sewerage provision.

According to HBF, this “disconnect” is causing “serious delays” for housebuilding, especially for smaller developers, and stalling related community investment.

HBF said the delayed 30,000 homes would generate an estimated …