Government housebuilding plans are facing significant challenges in the east and south-east of England due to water scarcity and deteriorating infrastructure. This week, half of England was declared to be in serious drought for the second consecutive year, prompting warnings from the Environment Agency.
Areas targeted for increased housing, such as Hampshire, Kent, Hertfordshire, Essex, and Cambridgeshire, are experiencing extreme water stress. Some water companies have indicated there is insufficient water to support new homes, a problem compounded by existing infrastructure issues.
Basingstoke and Deane council, which is tasked with building over 1,000 houses annually, has been unable to approve its local plan. Paul Harvey, the council's Independent leader, stated that water cycle studies show future housing demands may exceed sustainable supply limits. Similarly, in Cambridgeshire, water efficiency measures and promised new supplies are criticised as insufficient for the government's demand for 150,000 new homes and commercial developments.