Defra consults on adding £4bn to storm overflow plan bill to deal with coastal spills

Defra has launched a consultation to expand the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan to cover coastal waters.

The consultation, open until 24 July, covers:

• expanding the targets in the Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan to cover coastal and estuarine waters;

• developing an ecological standard for coastal and estuarine waters; and

• whether any further areas should be added to the current list of high priority sites listed in the plan.

According to the consultation, expanding the plan would add £4bn to the current £56bn cost, taking the total capital cost of the expanded plan to £60bn. Defra estimated the £4bn additional capital investment may add approximately £1 a year on average to bills in the period between 2030 and 2034, rising to approximately £7 per year between 2045 and 2049.

The current Storm Overflow Discharge Reduction Plan covers 91% of storm overflows.

Dealing with storm overflows into coastal waters is one of the asks of Good Law Project’s legal challenge to Defra over its storm overflow plan. This is due in court 4-6 July.