Sustainable Housing Must Be Matched by Sustainable Infrastructure
Sustainable Housing Must Be Matched by Sustainable Infrastructure
As doubts about water supply to the region grow, Dominic Martin, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for East Hampshire, today called for a renewed focus on delivering genuinely sustainable housing across East Hampshire, warning that new homes must be matched by the infrastructure needed to support both existing and future residents. Mr Martin said: “East Hampshire needs new homes to meet local need, but development can only be considered sustainable if there is sufficient water supply, wastewater capacity and environmental protection in place before homes are occupied. ”
“Growth should strengthen communities, not place additional pressure on already stretched infrastructure. Residents deserve a planning system that plans properly for the future, with transparency, accountability and sustainability at its core.”
Following East Hampshire District Council's failure to maintain a five-year housing land supply, the district is now increasingly vulnerable to speculative development. The Liberal Democrats say this makes it even more important that planning decisions put infrastructure and environmental resilience at their heart.
Liberal Democrat Cllr Ginny Boxall added: "East Hampshire District Council has been remiss in failing to have the necessary conversations with South East Water about the water constraints in Water Resource Zone 4. That failure ultimately led to the Council having to withdraw its Local Plan. Residents deserve far better planning than this. Sustainable development starts with understanding whether essential infrastructure is capable of supporting new communities."
East Hampshire Liberal Democrats are calling on East Hampshire District Council to use every planning mechanism available to ensure that infrastructure development keeps pace with housing growth. This includes imposing robust planning conditions preventing the occupation of new homes until water supply and wastewater improvements have been completed, requiring developments to be phased alongside infrastructure delivery, and giving full weight to the advice of statutory bodies such as the Environment Agency, South East Water and Thames Water where capacity constraints are identified.
The party is also calling for greater transparency over the district's water supply challenges.
Dominic Martin said: "Damian Hinds MP needs to convene an open meeting between South East Water and all councillors in the area so everyone has a clear understanding of the water constraints facing our area. Residents deserve transparency, and councillors need access to the same information if they are to make informed planning decisions about the future of East Hampshire."
The Liberal Democrats note that Alex Brewer, Liberal Democrat MP for North East Hampshire, has already called on South East Water to cease abstraction at Greywell Fen, reflecting wider concerns about protecting the area's internationally important chalk streams and securing a sustainable long-term water supply for communities across the region.
Cllr Emily Young, Lib Dem Leader of the Opposition on East Hampshire District Council concluded:
“We support the delivery of the new homes that East Hampshire needs, but they must be genuinely sustainable. That means ensuring that water supplies, wastewater infrastructure and environmental protections are in place before development proceeds.”