COMMUNITY MAY RUN DRY
HAILSHAM and Hellingly will run dry if plans to build more than more than 1,000 new homes go ahead.
These are the fears of councillors who point out the New Year still sees Kent and Sussex under a hosepipe ban.
South East Water confirms reservoir levels are unseasonably low with Arlington at 63 per cent, Ardingly at 53 per cent and the massive Bewl Water at just 35 per cent of capacity.
Members of district, town and parish councils condemned as 'scandalous' the Government's imposition of thousands of new homes without first creating new infrastructure such as water, roads, schools and public transport.
Wealden's non-statutory local plan - approved before Christmas - will see 1,185 new houses built in North Hailsham and Hellingly before 2011.
District councillor and Hellingly Parish Council chairman David White said this would enlarge the community by one-eighth.
'There are plans to build a new reservoir near Barcombe but that will take at least 15 years to deliver and water firms are already insisting on stringent water saving measures before one new house has been built.'
A South East Water spokeswoman confirmed the hosepipe ban remained throughout its area until there was enough rainfall for it to be confident it had sufficient supplies to meet demands for water next summer.
She added: 'There is enough water to supply new homes being built but they too are subject to water restrictions from time to time.
'We plan to have enough water to supply customers for all their needs in all but exceptional years.'
But councillors disagree.
Hailsham Town Council member Dr Ian Haffenden said: 'This is a central issue.
'The Government argues houses are built and services follow.
'We say that is a nonsense - services still have to catch up with the homes we have now.
'I am totally unconvinced local supplies can provide adequate water to new houses - there are not enough to provide water to existing houses.
'You don't need a GCSE in economics to work that out.'
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Weather for Lewes
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
