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Building of 20,000 homes left in limbo due to pollution concerns, Councils warn
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URGENT action and funding are needed in the Budget to address river pollution and low water levels so 20,000 new homes left in limbo can be built, a new report from the Local Government Association (LGA).
The LGA, which represents more than 350 Councils across England and Wales, has come out and said that pollutants caused by agriculture and water companies that run into our rivers mean that some planned housebuilding is unable to go ahead, just as demand for housing is growing rapidly. Rising levels of water abstraction for drinking water supplies, caused by new development, are also leading to further threats to wildlife and the natural environment. While there are some plans in place to offset these issues, such as creating new wetlands, the LGA said these can be expensive, time consuming, and use up too much land. The LGA said the Government could take immediate steps in the Spring Budget to speed up vital housebuilding, by giving affected areas funding to invest in locally available solutions, such as:- improving the water efficiency of homes, targeted agricultural upgrades, and upgrading wastewater treatment works. Councils are also calling for a doubling down on long-term action to protect rivers by focusing on reducing pollution at source. Continuing uncertainty over how to resolve legitimate concerns about water and nutrient neutrality could also lead to more areas of the country breaching the levels that halt construction. Greater sharing of information, skills, and technical expertise and giving farmers clear guidance on the use of fertilisers and livestock practices, alongside other support, would also help get the building back on track. Cllr David Renard, LGA Environment spokesperson, said:-“Thousands of new homes are on hold due to complex river pollution and water level concerns, leaving councils in limbo on how to meet the increasing demand for urgent accommodation. We need to find short term local ways to address this pollution and water availability before longer term solutions are found to stop the pollution at the source so the land can be built on. This will help address the housing crisis, with more than 1.2 million households on waiting lists in desperate need of somewhere to stay. Councils want to work together with Government, agencies, developers, and the agricultural sector to find ways to kickstart building homes while doing everything possible to reduce pollution at source, maintain safe water levels, and avoid other areas getting caught up in this environmental bind.” Just to add... The reported:- 20,000 delayed homes figure includes:- 17,000 due to river pollution, and:- 3,000 because of low water levels! Let us know your thoughts on this news topic... Email our Newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:- Facebook or Twitter.
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