Responding to the report published by the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee on water management in England and Wales, Stewart Baseley, Executive Chairman of the Home Builders Federation (HBF), says:
“It is crucial to recognise that houses do not use water – people do – and it is the people who are living and working in the South East now who need homes.
“We should also recognise that all new build homes have compulsory water metering and house builders are leading on the development and installation of new water-efficient fittings and features. We know that new stock is much more water efficient than old stock.
“The Government’s latest household projections show that if the rate of house building remains the same, there will be a shortfall of 50,000 homes every year across the whole of England. The South East already faces the worst affordability crisis outside London and failure to meet housing demand will only further exacerbate existing social and economic problems.
“New measures of course must be taken to better manage water supplies in England and Wales. Building new homes – including the replacement of old stock - is part of the solution, not the problem.”
Notes for Editors
The Home Builders Federation (HBF) is the principal trade federation for private sector home builders and voice of the home building industry in England and Wales. The HBF’s 300 member firms account for over 80% of all new homes built in England and Wales in any one year, and include companies of all sizes, ranging from multi-national, household names through regionally based businesses to small local companies: www.hbf.co.uk
The Lords Science and Technology Committee report on Water Management will be available online on: http://www.parliament.uk/hlscience/
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