Water supply concerns for new homes in Basingstoke and Deane are likely to lead to a new timetable for the area’s Local Plan – the key document that sets out where new development should go over the next decade and a half.

Questions about South East Water’s ability to provide a resilient supply of fresh water for new houses, for drinking, washing and flushing toilets, were raised by the council earlier this year.

This followed a review of the borough’s water infrastructure requirements through an updated water cycle study as part of supporting research to prepare a draft Local Plan.

Problems have primarily arisen as a South East Water transfer pipeline has not been delivered to the originally planned timetable.

Now, due to environmental impacts, the Environment Agency has refused South East Water’s application to continue to get water from one of the natural sources it is using instead. This decision is being appealed by South East Water.

Over the past few months, the council has been coordinating work with the Environment Agency, Natural England, affected neighbouring councils and the government to fully understand the situation and its impact and explore possible solutions. South East Water is completing the vital research work, but the company is taking longer than it expected to complete, despite the council challenging this.

The council is seeking clarity on the water issues so that the Local Plan for the borough can be progressed further to help inform where new homes and other developments could go.  However, South East Water’s delays mean that the council’s Cabinet will now need to agree a new timetable for the Local Plan.

As a result, the Local Plan is unlikely to be able to move to the next stage before the Government’s deadline to submit a plan for examination by the end of year, unless the extension the council is seeking can be granted.

Government changes to the national planning system mean that local plans submitted after December 2026 will need to follow a new process. This could mean the council having to take forward the plan under a new set of rules and procedures.

The council is keen to move forward with a Local Plan as quickly as possible, so that the borough is protected from speculative development and planning decisions are based on the detailed work already undertaken and the feedback from previous consultations. The council will also need to consider what the implications are for current planning applications.

The next steps in the Local Plan process are set to be considered at the Cabinet meeting in September.

Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Cllr Andy Konieczko, who announced the impact of the water issues at a Cabinet meeting tonight (Thursday 9 July), said: “We have always said that decisions on building new homes must be supported with investment in more local infrastructure.

“That was our clear position in pushing back on the significant rise in the government-imposed housing numbers for our borough. It was also the reason we commissioned an update to the water cycle study to ensure that we have enough water supply and sewage treatment capacity to meet the needs of future residents.

“This research revealed that demands for water from new housing may outstrip the limits of sustainable supply in the areas of our borough served by South East Water.  We’ve been coordinating further research into this as it’s vital that we understand exactly how much capacity is left.  Frustratingly, South East Water is taking longer than it expected to provide that analysis.

“Through no fault of the council or local residents, this has affected our ability to finalise an up-to-date Local Plan that will protect our area from speculative development.

“We need to continue to push forward with the vital additional work to find the right and best solution for our borough.  It’s essential that we and local residents have assurance that the homes we are being asked to plan for – both for now and into the future – have sufficient infrastructure in place to serve them.

“The Leader and I have written to the Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook, asking to meet with him to discuss how the government will support us protecting our borough from speculative development. We need an extension to the December 2026 deadline so we can then finish the Local Plan on which residents have already commented rather than having to start again under the new rules.”

Council Leader Cllr Paul Harvey announced at Cabinet that he has a meeting scheduled with South East Water Chief Executive Officer-Designate John Halsall to discuss the situation.

The draft Local Plan evidence, including the updated Water Cycle Study, is at www.basingstoke.gov.uk/draft-local-plan-evidence