Thousands of new homes are set to be built across Sussex following a four-year planning deadlock, after the Government announced a resolution to long-standing environmental concerns.
Building work for 21,000 properties in parts of Horsham, Crawley, and Chichester had been stalled since 2021.
The delay stemmed from worries over the amount of water being extracted from rivers and wetlands in the Arun Valley, which threatened protected wildlife and local water supplies.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) led discussions with regulators and industry to find a solution that satisfied environmental safeguards.
A new agreement, forged between Natural England, Defra, the Environment Agency, and Southern Water, will see the water company amend its permits to restrict water abstraction from the area and commit funding towards habitat restoration.
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.
“Under the Government’s plan for change, we are taking a win-win approach that unlocks growth while protecting and restoring the natural world we all depend on.
“We are getting Britain building again while securing a brighter future for our precious wetlands, wildlife and local rivers.”
Around 4,000 homes that were previously stalled will now proceed and a further 17,000 are set to be built, with work recommencing on 1 November.
A Defra spokesperson has said that these homes will be built to “higher water efficiency standards” in line with guidance for “water scarce” areas.
They added that their new plan will protect rare species, including the lesser whirlpool ramshorn snail, which is part of the Arun Valley’s ecosystem.
“This type of sustainable development clearly shows how we can build the new homes this country needs while restoring and protecting nature,” said Marian Spain, chief executive of Natural England.
The UK Government has pledged to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this Parliament.
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