21.07.2026
As water resilience rises up the political agenda, developers and landowners should be aware of the potential implications for planning, infrastructure delivery and future growth across Kent. Read on to explore what KCC's latest initiatives could mean for development across the county.
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Water resilience has moved firmly up the political agenda in Kent following recent discussions at Kent County Council (KCC) around long-term water supply, infrastructure capacity and the county’s ability to support future growth. Recent water supply disruptions across Kent have prompted KCC to establish a new strategic approach to water resilience, including the creation of the Kent Water Resilience Partnership, bringing together key stakeholders to improve coordination, planning and accountability.
While KCC does not hold statutory responsibility for water services, the debate highlights a growing link between water infrastructure, housing delivery and economic growth. As a result, developers, landowners and planning professionals should expect water resilience to become an increasingly important consideration in the planning process.
A key outcome of KCC's discussions is the emergence of a long-term strategy focused on ensuring Kent has sufficient water infrastructure to support future growth whilst responding to the impacts of climate change and increasing demand.
Alongside this, KCC is establishing the Kent Water Resilience Partnership, which is intended to bring together water companies, regulators, local authorities, developers, environmental organisations, landowners and community representatives. The partnership will focus on long-term planning, infrastructure investment, water quality and supply resilience across the county.
The initiative reflects growing concern that water supply and infrastructure constraints could become a more significant factor in determining how and where development is delivered across Kent.
Although water companies remain the statutory providers of water infrastructure, planning applications are increasingly facing scrutiny regarding their impact on existing networks and future water demand.
Water supply capacity is becoming a more prominent issue in planning debates. Recent discussions at county level suggest that concerns regarding infrastructure resilience and future water availability could increasingly feature in public objections, planning committee discussions and Local Plan examinations.
Whilst water infrastructure constraints do not automatically preclude development, applicants may need to provide greater confidence that sufficient capacity exists, or that appropriate upgrades can be delivered in parallel with growth.
Water supply concerns are also being drawn into wider political debates surrounding housing delivery. Some stakeholders have argued that housing targets should be reviewed where infrastructure provision cannot keep pace with growth.
Although national housing requirements remain in place, the issue demonstrates how infrastructure capacity is becoming increasingly influential in discussions around development strategy and growth allocations.
Developers should also be aware of the potential for additional planning conditions linked to water infrastructure delivery.
As water companies continue to assess network capacity, it is possible that more permissions could be subject to Grampian-style conditions requiring upgrades, reinforcement works or confirmation of network capacity before occupation can occur.
For this reason, early engagement with relevant water companies is becoming increasingly important, particularly for larger residential, employment and mixed-use schemes.
The emphasis on water resilience is likely to strengthen expectations around sustainable water management measures within development proposals.
Applicants may increasingly be expected to demonstrate:
Many local authorities and statutory consultees are already encouraging these measures as part of broader sustainability objectives, and their importance is likely to increase as water resilience becomes a higher-profile planning issue.
One interesting aspect of the proposed Kent Water Resilience Partnership is its intended meeting schedule. With an inaugural meeting expected in October 2026 and meetings thereafter proposed twice yearly, stakeholders will be watching closely to see how quickly capacity concerns and infrastructure issues can be addressed.
For developments dependent upon strategic infrastructure upgrades, there remains the potential for ongoing uncertainty where solutions require coordination between multiple organisations.
This reinforces the importance of undertaking water capacity assessments, engaging with infrastructure providers early and identifying any constraints at the earliest stages of project development.
Water resilience is unlikely to become a short-term planning issue. As Kent continues to accommodate housing and economic growth alongside increasing environmental pressures, the relationship between development and water infrastructure is expected to receive ever greater scrutiny.
While KCC does not control water services directly, its recent actions demonstrate a clear desire to increase oversight, coordination and visibility of water-related issues across the county. Developers and promoters should therefore ensure that water supply, infrastructure capacity and sustainable water management are considered from the outset of any development strategy.
At DHA Planning, we continue to monitor emerging infrastructure and planning policy issues across Kent and can advise developers, landowners and communities on how evolving water resilience requirements may affect future development proposals.
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