Scrapping some new builds in England and Wales due to poor water quality could cost economy £16bn.
The building of more than 5,000 new homes are affected in Wales because of tighter phosphate pollution targets on rivers which were adopted in 2020. That could cost more than £700m to the economy.The Home Builders' Federation contacted planning authorities and developers and calculated 100,000 homes in 74 areas in England are also affected by phosphate restrictions on housebuilding.
"It is encouraging that after almost three years of home builders' pleas, the government seems to be looking to find solutions, but we need urgent actions that matches the scale and urgency of the issue."Natural England, a UK Government agency, said phosphate pollution is causing "serious damage" to rivers and wetlands - and the species that live in them - and made £100,000 available for each affected river catchment.
Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford held a summit with farmers' representatives and water companies to discuss the impact of phosphate pollution on house building in the summer. "We cannot wait any longer," said Gail Davies-Walsh of charity Afonydd Cymru, which represents river trusts in Wales."It is salvageable, but it is going to take a huge amount of working together, and it's going to require all of those sectors to play their part in this and what we see at the moment is actually quite a lot of delays in that happening."Campaigners believe intensive poultry farming is responsible.