South East Water has warned that it cannot meet the water demands of planned housing developments in Tonbridge and Malling, casting doubt over the region's growth targets. The utility company stated that its infrastructure can only support 6,318 new homes by 2042, while the borough council's Local Plan proposes 19,746 new residences—a 210% increase.
A spokesperson for South East Water said: 'From our review of the latest housing forecast figures, we have identified that we cannot accommodate additional growth beyond what was assumed in our Water Resources Management Plan 2024 in areas where we do not have a supply-demand surplus.' The company added that in Tonbridge and Malling, it 'would be unable to accommodate any growth exceeding our 2024 forecast assumptions throughout the entire planning period.'
Councillors have criticised the Labour government's national target of 1.5 million new homes by 2029, calling the water company's warning a 'reality check.' Cllr Mark Hood, chairman of the Council’s Area One Planning Committee, said: 'Water is one of our most precious resources - without it, our society grinds to a halt, schools close and farmers’ animals will die – as we have seen in recent months.' He referenced a calf that died of dehydration in Tonbridge in January after a farm lost its water supply.
Cllr Lee Athwal blamed under-investment in utilities, stating: 'We need more houses, but we need decent infrastructure. It’s time to stop private companies making all the profits while people suffer.' Under current regulations, water companies are statutory consultees for Local Plans but not for individual planning applications, meaning water supply issues are often overlooked. Cllr Hood argued that the water industry should be a statutory consultee for planning applications, similar to highways and environmental agencies.
The fragility of South East Water's infrastructure was highlighted in January when around 8,000 homes in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Maidstone and Sevenoaks were left without water for days due to booster pump failures. Bottled water stations were set up, schools closed, and exams were postponed. The council is now considering imposing 'Grampian conditions' to block new homes until water infrastructure is in place, particularly for a 1,300-home development in Aylesford.
