Green light for more new homes on edge of village despite years of sewage spills |
KMH Builders has been given outline permission for 15 properties off the Howards Way Estate at Gayton, near King's Lynn.
Anglian Water said its water treatment works at neighbouring Grimston had "available capacity" to cope with extra waste which would be piped to it from the new houses.
But Gayton Parish Council said while it agreed with the development, it objected "in the strongest possible terms to the statement that there is capacity in the sewage and water infrastructure".
Water bubbling up from the pipe that leads to the Grimston sewage treatment works (Image: Gaywood River Revival)
Raw sewage overflowed from a pipe leading from Gayton in February 2025, flooding Watery Lane in Grimston, where there have been similar problems for decades following heavy rainfall.
Waste has frequently spilled into a stream which feeds into the Gaywood River, a rare chalk stream.
Anglian Water says the problems are caused by "misconnections" from properties pouring rain water from their gutters into its sewer system, infiltration from surface water, road and agricultural run-off and the low-lying area's high water table.
The company has re-lined some of its sewers to prevent extra water from entering them and says surface water from the new development should be dealt with by a sustainable drainage system, rather than being allowed to enter its sewer system.
Part of the stream raw sewage flows into during heavy rain, which connects to the Gaywood River (Image: Chris Bishop)
Detailed plans must now be agreed by the council before work can start on the new homes.
A planning officer said surface water drainage arrangements must also be agreed before they are built.
KMH said the new development would provide for village housing needs by including affordable houses, starter homes, bungalows and two storey properties designed in "a rural style" using local materials.
The land is currently a grass paddock.