Construction of the Fossil Bay housing development in Earnley has been paused after the site reached the limit of available sewage capacity, leaving both builders and potential buyers in uncertainty.

Barratt David Wilson Homes, the developer behind the project, confirmed that work on the site is on hold while it addresses drainage issues with Southern Water and Chichester District Council.

A spokesperson for the company’s Southampton division said: "The Fossil Bay website has been removed while we work to resolve the drainage issue with Southern Water and Chichester District Council."

Outline permission for the site was granted by the Planning Inspectorate following an appeal against an earlier refusal by Chichester District Council.

It was planned that the Fossil Bay development would consist of 100 properties, 30 per cent of which would be affordable homes, on land south of Clappers Lane in the village of Earnley. Photo: Google Earth

placeholder image — It was planned that the Fossil Bay development would consist of 100 properties, 30 per cent of which would be affordable homes, on land south of Clappers Lane in the village of Earnley. Photo: Google Earth

As part of the approval, a condition was imposed preventing any new homes from being occupied until the council receives confirmation from the sewerage undertaker that sufficient off-site foul drainage infrastructure is in place.

A spokesperson for the local authority said: “As part of allowing the appeal, the Planning Inspector imposed a condition preventing new homes from being occupied until the council receives confirmation from the sewerage undertaker that the necessary off-site foul drainage infrastructure is operational and that sufficient capacity exists within the network to accommodate the development.

“During construction, consultation with the sewerage undertaker confirmed there was insufficient capacity in the off-site sewer network to support the development.

“Following this, the developer applied to the council for permission to amend the condition, proposing additional on-site infrastructure to act as an interim solution while wider network upgrades are delivered.

“This application was refused because the information provided was not sufficient to demonstrate that the proposed solution would be effective and that it would avoid potential flooding or pollution impacts as an unintended result. The council remains open to discussions with the developer and the sewerage undertaker.”

The decision has left potential homeowners in limbo.

A social media post from a local resident warned: "Following the earlier shared news regarding the rejection of the proposed sewage workaround, DWH have now removed Fossil Bay from their website.

“After speaking with their head office today, I was informed that the site is closed down and no properties are available for sale with no further information available.

“As I know several local people were considering homes there, and some properties had been showing as sold, please feel free to tag anyone who may need to be aware of this update as I don’t know where that leaves them. The site itself appears to still be physically active today.”

It was planned that the Fossil Bay development would consist of 100 properties, 30 per cent of which would be affordable homes, on land south of Clappers Lane in the village of Earnley.

As well as a public open space, the development will include play areas, a community garden and orchard, as well as a pond, bird and bat boxes and hedgehog highways to encourage wildlife and biodiversity. Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) will be used to manage stormwater, mimicking natural drainage and supporting a green infrastructure. A network of public footpaths will also run through the development.

Plans for an on-site waste storage system at the housing development were refused by the local authority.

Last year, Lib Dem MP for Chichester, Jess Brown-Fuller, said in a statement on Facebook: “This is yet another alarming example of a sewer system being pushed to the absolute limits, with a lack of infrastructure along the peninsula to cope with the increased road usage from the tankers."

Barratt David Wilson Homes has not yet provided further details on when properties might return to the market or what interim solutions are being implemented.about .

For now, Fossil Bay remains on hold as discussions continue between Barratt David Wilson Homes, Southern Water, and the council to find a solution that meets statutory planning conditions and ensures the safe operation of the sewer network.