Why water companies should be statutory consultees for planning decisions

Water implications of planning and infrastructure projects are not being adequately considered within planning processes.

The suggestion to make water companies statutory consultees was made by the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee in its May Surviving drought: reclaim the rain  report.

This estimated that there will be a water supply deficit of five billion litres per day by 2055, unless robust mitigation measures are taken.

The Committee argued that the water implications of planning and infrastructure projects were not being adequately considered within planning processes. Data centres were used as an example, with the report stating that there are cases of these being proposed in areas of existing water stress.

The House of Lords recommended therefore that water companies be made ‘statutory consultees on all major planning decisions, including housing developments, data centres, and energy infrastructure projects’.

The government has rejected a recommendation to make water companies statutory consultees in major planning proposals.

Read more: Case for water companies being statutory consultees in UK planning system