Source · Select Committees · Built Environment Committee
Recommendation 129
129
The unexpected publication of new position statements by Natural England can be much more disruptive.
Conclusion
The unexpected publication of new position statements by Natural England can be much more disruptive. Hamish Walke, Water Neutrality Lead at Crawley Borough Council, told us the advice on water neutrality was “the first time that had happened in the country, so at the start we simply did not know what to do”. 171 They sought additional, expensive, consultant expertise at short notice. Even with this (unplanned) spending they could not avoid a two-month cessation in the granting of all planning permissions. 172 Similar advice relating to water usage is now in place for developments requiring an environmental impact assessment in South Cambridgeshire where the Environment Agency has issued objections to over 9,000 homes. 173
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 12 December 2023. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document ↗