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Written question asked by Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative) on Friday, 30 May 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 3 June 2025. It was answered by Emma Hardy (Labour) on Monday, 9 June 2025 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Planning: Sewage

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Annex 1 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Impact assessment, published in May 2025, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the timing of the update of the National Policy Statement for Waste Water on sewerage capacity.

Answer

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will speed up and streamline the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure.

As indicated in Annex 1 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill impact assessment, the Bill includes statutory timeframes for relevant National Policy Statements to be updated. Defra owns the National Policy Statement on wastewater, and it will be updated in line with this new statutory requirement. Once updated this will provide developers with heightened certainty enabling a smoother planning process.

The National Policy Statement sets out the process for development consent applications for major wastewater infrastructure. These major infrastructure projects fall within the definition of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) as defined in the Planning Act 2008.

Sewerage undertakers are required to prepare, publish and maintain Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs). DWMPs set out how the sewerage undertaker intends to improve their drainage and wastewater systems over the next 25 years, accounting for factors including growing population and changing environmental circumstances. These plans will help sewerage companies to fully assess the capacity of the drainage and wastewater network and develop collaborative solutions to current problems and future issues.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
54919
Session
2024-26
Related items
Planning and Infrastructure Bill: Impact Assessment
Tuesday, 6 May 2025
Impact assessments
House of Commons
House of Lords
Transferred
Yes
Subjects
Planning Sewage
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk