Current water shortage makes a mockery of an Eton New Town says Don’t Urbanise the Downs

Despite rainfall over the past seven months hitting 250mm more than average in the region according to Southern Water (https://www.southernwater.co.uk/water-for-life/regional-rainfall), many local residents are experiencing low or no water - and South East Water is already urging people to use water only for essentials like cooking, drinking and hygiene.

As Sussex faces drought following flooding during the winter and spring, Don’t Urbanise the Downs, the campaign group fighting plans by Eton College to build a 3,250-house new town on countryside it owns at East Chiltington, says this reason alone is enough to rule out the option of including it in Lewes District Council’s next Local Plan.

Marc Munier, who leads the campaign says: “Lack of investment in water infrastructure means water companies can’t even meet demand now – let alone cope with the addition of a new town on what is currently absorbent green land. Global warming means we face weather extremes – see-sawing between summer droughts and autumn/winter/spring floods - and its madness to even think of tarmacking over an area of countryside which already regularly floods. Just imagine the impact of a massive new town on our water supply as well as on our water quality. At least at the moment the Bevern Stream, which runs through the proposed 500-acre new town site, mostly floods into adjacent fields and onto tiny country lanes. But bigger and busier roads to and through a new town, coupled with very little green land means the water will have nowhere to go - and demand from new town residents will soar - creating even worse drought conditions.

“Lewes District Council’s current evaluation of Eton’s proposals includes taking a detailed look at the water situation. We believe they will conclude that for just that reason alone, it would be utter madness to move forward with a new town on the site in its next Local Plan.

“Over 99% of respondents to the council’s Issues and Options consultation in summer 2021 said they didn’t want a new town here and this will just strengthen their determination. We have nearly 7,000 members and we’d urge more  people to join us (via www.donturbanisethedowns.com), to help us continue the fight.”