The River Beult, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), faces severe ecological threats from a proposed discharge of treated sewage effluent. This fragile ecosystem could suffer from nutrient pollution, untreated sewage during floods, and contamination affecting livestock and farmland. The Environment Agency must act to protect this vital habitat and prevent long-term environmental damage.
Take action
Please email objections to [email protected] by 30 December 2024 with subject: “Objection to Planning Application: Discharge of Treated Sewage Effluent to the River Beult, TN26 1HH”
The River Beult SSSI: A Fragile Ecosystem Under Threat
The River Beult is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a delicate and vital ecosystem home to rare species and habitats. Yet, this environment is now at the centre of a contentious decision to permit the permanent discharge of treated sewage effluent. This decision risks causing significant and long-lasting ecological harm and health risks. Here’s what has happened, what it means for the River Beult, and why we must question the logic behind this decision.
Background: Development at Chilmington Green
The Chilmington Green housing development by Hodson Developments Ltd of some 2,700 homes. Such large developments require robust wastewater infrastructure. But, instead of planning adequate facilities from the outset, the project has relied on reactive solutions. The result is a proposal to discharge c1,000 cubic metres of treated sewage effluent daily into a tributary of the River Beult.
Developers considered discharging into the River Stour. But this was ruled out due to the potential impact on the Stodmarsh wetlands. Stodmarsh is a designated SSSI, Special Area of Conservation (SAC), and Ramsar site. Protecting Stodmarsh was the right decision. Diverting the discharge to the River Beult raises a serious question. If such discharges are too damaging for one SSSI, why are they considered acceptable for another?
The Decision-Making Process
- Ashford Borough Council refused planning permission for the discharge, recognising significant risks to the River Beult.
- Developers appealed and won at great cost to Ashford Borough Council.
- Now, the Environment Agency (EA) must decide whether to grant the necessary discharge permit.
The EA has a statutory duty under Section 28G of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to take reasonable steps to conserve and enhance the features of SSSIs. Granting this permit would raise serious questions about whether this duty is being fulfilled. And whether broader environmental legislation, including the Environment Act 2021, is being undermined.
Why the River Beult SSSI Matters
The River Beult is one of the UK’s most valuable lowland river ecosystems. Its designation as an SSSI reflects its importance as a habitat for a wide range of species, including aquatic plants, invertebrates, and fish. Its ecological balance is finely tuned. Even small changes in water quality can have cascading effects on biodiversity.
Discharging treated sewage effluent into the river introduces several risks:
- Nutrient Pollution: Even treated effluent contains nitrogen and phosphorus. These can lead to algal blooms that deplete oxygen levels, suffocating aquatic life and disrupting the food chain.
- Chemical Residues: Residual chemicals from wastewater treatment processes may accumulate in the river. This harms sensitive species and contaminates downstream water supplies.
- Habitat Degradation: Changes in water quality and flow can alter the physical characteristics of the river. This impacts habitats for species dependent on specific conditions.
The cumulative effect of these changes could undermine the very features that led to the River Beult’s SSSI designation.
A Reactive Approach to Wastewater
The root of this issue lies in the reactive approach to wastewater management at Chilmington Green. The developers chose a quick fix. Rather than building sustainable wastewater infrastructure, they are pushing the problem downstream.
The proposed treatment system, the te-cyc™ process, is described as compact and energy-efficient. It combines treatment and sludge settlement in one basin with advanced controls to improve performance. But in sensitive environments, its operation is risky and leaves no margin for error.
The system's reliance on precise operations and automation means any failure could lead to disastrous untreated or partially treated discharges. During floods, untreated sewage can spill onto nearby land, polluting soil and harming livestock and crops.
These incidents show the need for strong wastewater systems to stop the river from spreading contamination. Proper planning from the start could have avoided this. Discharging into the River Beult reveals terrible foresight and neglect of environmental sustainability.
The Widespread Consequences of Flooding and Untreated Sewage
The news is awash with the severe risks of flooding and untreated sewage. These cases show the urgent need for better wastewater management to protect the environment, public health, and agriculture.
- Flood Risks and Untreated Sewage: Heavy rainfall can overwhelm wastewater plants, leading to untreated sewage spilling into rivers. This worsens nutrient pollution and spreads raw sewage, causing serious ecological damage and health risks for nearby communities. The River Beult, a non-flowing river, is especially at risk of becoming a stagnant pool of pollutants after floods.
- Impact on Livestock: Livestock drinking from the River Beult face serious risks as untreated sewage introduces harmful pathogens. This can cause sickness in animals, threatening their welfare and the livelihoods of farmers.
- Contamination of Adjacent Land: Floods can spread untreated sewage onto nearby land. This pollutes the soil and harms crop production.
Questioning the Double Standard
The decision to block discharges into the River Stour, to protect Stodmarsh SSSI, recognised the serious risks to sensitive ecosystems. Yet, this same logic seems ignored for the River Beult.
Both are SSSIs. Both are critical ecosystems. Both are at risk from nutrient pollution and effluent discharge. This inconsistency reveals a troubling double standard. It prioritises one site while allowing poor infrastructure planning to endanger another.
What’s at Stake
Approving the discharge permit would set a dangerous precedent. It would signal that SSSI status offers no meaningful protection against development pressures. It risks permanent harm to the River Beult. It undoes decades of conservation efforts and public investment in protecting the UK’s natural heritage.
The EA must balance its responsibility to safeguard the environment with development pressures. Approving the permit would breach the EA’s legal duties. It also further weakens public trust in its commitment to environmental standards.
A Call to Action
This issue goes beyond the River Beult. It reflects how we value and protect our natural environment amid increasing development pressures. The EA has the power to prioritise long-term ecological health. And fulfil its mission to protect and improve the environment.
Now is the time for the EA to lead, uphold the principles of the Wildlife and Countryside Act and the Environment Act, and prove that SSSI designations offer real protection. The River Beult deserves nothing less.
This is a moment of reckoning for environmental governance in the UK. Will the River Beult be protected, or will it become another casualty of inadequate planning and weak oversight? Only time will tell, but the stakes couldn’t be higher.
What Can You Do?
Please email objections to [email protected] by 30 December 2024 with subject: “Objection to Planning Application: Discharge of Treated Sewage Effluent to the River Beult, TN26 1HH”
Further details on the planning application can be found here.