Home buyers will be stopped from moving into new homes in south Hailsham until new water sewerage systems are in place, according to Wealden District Council.
The conditions, confirmed in a motion passed at a Full Council meeting, would mean the new homes could not be occupied until sufficient sewerage system upgrades had taken place to allow for the additional waste water.
Last month’s heavy rain has led to drains overflowing onto streets in parts of Hailsham.
Proposing the amended motion, Cllr Ann Newton, Cabinet member for Planning and Development, extended her sympathies to all those affect by the recent problems in Hailsham.
She commented; “To experience something like this is extremely distressing.” She felt the problems were the condition of existing sewers and would support moves by Southern Water to improve them.
Seconding the motion, Council Leader Bob Standley said: “We know that foul sewage going down our streets in totally unacceptable. From what has been said, Southern Water is responsible. They are the ones that get prosecuted. We don’t want them to get prosecuted. We want the problem not to be there to start with.
“If we are going to get the new houses, we are going to get the infrastructure to go with it. We know that it is a challenge, but we are going to accept that challenge.”
The amendment was in response to a motion put forward by Councillor David White and Councillor Neil Cleaver.
Following the Council meeting, Wealden District Councillors visited the sewerage treatment works at Hailsham run by Southern Water. Southern Water has also been invited to speak to Wealden councillors at the January meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Pictured (top): WDC councillors visit Southern Water in Hailsham. Pictured (middle): Recent overlfow water in Old Swan Lane.
