Builder pays £201,500 to charities after silting watercourses
Summary
The Environment Agency says BDW Trading, part of Barratt Redrow, polluted watercourses in Yate after silt from a housing development entered the Ladden Brook and Tanhouse stream during drainage cleaning works. The company has since funded remediation, training and improved surface-water management, and agreed an enforcement undertaking that directs money to environmental projects.
Why it matters
Residential surveyors involved in development sites should note the operational and environmental risks associated with drainage works, silt control and watercourse protection. The case highlights the need for robust site procedures and regulatory compliance where surface water discharges may affect nearby watercourses.
Key points
- Silt from the Ladden Garden Village development polluted local watercourses over six days in July 2022.
- BDW Trading accepted responsibility and spent more than £180,000 on remediation, training and improved practices.
- An enforcement undertaking was agreed, with funds directed to river, woodland and wildlife projects.
- The company also paid the Environment Agency’s costs and obtained a permit for water discharges.
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