Nearly 2,000 homes delayed over sewage concerns

Nearly 2,000 planned homes in west Oxfordshire are facing delays because of outstanding improvements to sewage works.

Thames Water has requested that conditions be added to 13 developments in the area, saying its treatment works would be unable to deal with the proposals unless upgraded.

A local councillor said she had little faith that the works would be completed in the near future and that people were "desperate" to find new homes.

Thames Water said it was spending around £9.5bn on the biggest sewage network upgrade for 150 years.

The water firm has requested so-called Grampian conditions be applied to each development.

These require work, such as new infrastructure, on land that is not controlled by a planning applicant or developer.

Of the 13 developments for which Thames Water has requested the conditions, nine have received approval from West Oxfordshire District Council and four remain under consultation.

Among the developments that cannot be occupied until work takes place are 350 new homes on Burford Road, near Brize Norton, which are currently under consultation.

Others have already been approved by West Oxfordshire District Council, such as plans for 150 houses north of Witney Road in Long Hanborough.

A total of 1,899 homes cannot be occupied unless work happens or a "development and infrastructure phasing plan" is agreed between Thames Water and the developer.

Councillor Lidia Arciszewska said the delays were a "huge issue" for people looking to move to the new homes.

"People who want to move in or are on waiting lists are desperate to move," she said.

"I don't have much faith at all that Thames Water can be trusted to deliver, because we know that their [sewage treatment] upgrades are slipping".

West Oxfordshire District Council is looking to build 18,000 new homes by 2043 to meet government housing targets.

Witney MP Charlie Maynard said he believed Thames Water was trying to "steamroll" the planning conditions away while upgrades were delayed.

"They've known [the developments] are coming. They can't get away with not spending the money," he said.

Steve Turner, executive director of the Home Builders Federation, said house builders had "paid billions" to water companies over recent years.

"Yet the delivery of desperately needed homes and investment in communities continues to be blocked," he said.

"'The government needs to require water companies to abide by their responsibilities and ensure infrastructure investment reflects housing supply needs or its housing target will become increasingly unachievable."

In a statement, Thames Water said when consulted it assessed the potential impact that new developments could have on water services.

"We look at each development on a case-by-case basis and where needed will request that conditions are added to planning applications to ensure we can supply new developments with the water that they require," it said.

"[This] also prevents developments from increasing flood risk or contributing to unacceptable levels of water pollution."

A government spokesperson said: "All areas must play their part and help to build 1.5 million homes this country needs.

"Development should not be blocked if the right water infrastructure is in place, and we expect councils and water companies to work together to ensure this is the case so we can turn the tide on the housing crisis we have inherited."

A previous version of the article stated: "Thames Water has applied conditions to 13 developments in the area." This has been corrected to clarify that Thames Water is not a statutory consultee and can only request that conditions are added to planning applications.

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