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A deal has been agreed on water abstraction permits to limit the amount of water taken from local rivers and wetlands, as well as on funding to restore wildlife habitats.

The agreement is said to ensure protection for rare and endangered species like the Lesser Whirlpool Ramshorn Snail (Anisus vorticulus).

House-building work in parts of Horsham, Crawley and Chichester had been halted since 2021 due to concerns over nutrient pollution and the amount of water being taken from rivers and wetlands in the Arun Valley, which risked impacting protected wildlife and local water resources.

Work will now begin from next month, with cooperation promised between local authorities and developers.

Under the agreement by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), Natural England, the Environment Agency and Southern Water, the water company will change its water abstraction permits to limit the amount of water taken from local rivers and wetlands, as well as provide funding to restore habitats. This will be paid for by Southern Water.

New homes will also be built to higher water efficiency standards in line with the building regulation guidance for water scarce areas, reducing daily water use and easing pressure on local watercourses.  

The government says that by breaking the legal impasse it is not just uncorking the construction of 4,000 new homes today but a further 17,000 down the line.

Housing and planning minister Matthew Pennycook said: “The breakthrough achieved in Sussex North demonstrates how through smart policy interventions we can unlock precisely the kind of win-win for development and nature that this government is committed to achieving.”

Environment secretary Emma Reynolds said: “This breakthrough ends a broken status quo and shows how we can build the homes the community needs while protecting nature.”

Natural England chief executive Marian Spain said: “This type of sustainable development clearly shows how we can build the new homes this country needs while restoring and protecting nature.

“A thriving natural environment is at the heart of a strong economy and is vital to all of our health and wellbeing. We know that people want to live near nature and cases like this where sound nature regulations prompted innovative solutions mean we can continue to make that possible.” 

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