Call to sort out 'crazy' sewage situation at Chichester Harbour

It comes amid calls for the Government to give water companies the powers to be statutory consultees on major planning applications rather than being required to connect new estates to the network when there is not sufficient capacity.

Capacity issues in the area have led to discharges into the harbour and campaigners say this has to stop.

Bruce Garrett, of the Mayday Action Group, which organised the protest on Saturday, said: “We absolutely agree that Southern Water and all water utilities should be made statutory consultees on all planning applications.

"It is manifestly wrong for Southern Water to be legally obliged to issue positive letters to developers seeking planning approval or fighting appeals when Southern Water know that their assets and infrastructure cannot provide such additional capacity.

“The Government must listen and act to correct this crazy situation as a matter of urgency if our harbours and well-being are to be saved.”

It comes as a report by the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) shows that surface water flooding is a risk to 325,000 properties, with a more than 60 per cent chance that they will flood within 30 years. And the issue goes hand in hand with sewage overflows.

Andrew Kerry-Bedell, West Sussex county councillor for Bourne, said: “This was just one reason over 1,000 residents braved the winter weather along a 14-mile stretch of the A259 from Langstone to Fishbourne last Saturday.

“Ultimately this also means Government should enable water companies to be statutory undertakers on both sewage capacity and storm sewage overflows on all new planning applications and appeals. This will remove once and for all the crazy situation where Southern Water is forced to connect new housing developments to their network, even when they know there is minimal or no sewage capacity and also a greatly increased risk of storm sewage overflows affecting local residents.”