Law firm wants to hear from homeowners and landowners affected by building ban near river

A building ban, primarily impacting the north of the county, was implemented since in 2019 by Herefordshire Council to protect the Lugg catchment area from pollution, particularly due to high phosphate levels.

The ban was put in place because of concerns about pollution in the River Lugg, specifically high levels of phosphates that were causing excessive algae growth.

The river runs from Llangynllo in Powys, through the border town of Presteigne and then into Herefordshire.

However, Leigh Day, a UK law firm, said the “nutrient neutrality planning moratorium” on land near to the River Lugg, has negatively impacted a number of people.

They are keen to hear how people have been affected by the ban.

The ban means mothing can be built near the river unless the developer can demonstrate ‘nutrient neutrality’ - that the development would not add to river pollution through sewage and waste.  

Some developers can purchase credits in local wetlands to offset sewage from property built in the area, but those costs can run into thousands of pounds and many people have been waiting for years due to lack of supply.  

In the meantime, many people report high costs of surveys, planning applications, permissions, and alterative accommodation: alongside missed market opportunities.

Members of the community have told Leigh Day they have lost out financially as a result of the ban, which has prevented them selling or developing land in the area.

For many, large amounts of their savings have been tied up in land they have been unable to develop, causing significant hardship.

Leigh Day is currently leading a claim on behalf of residents in the wider Wye, Lugg and Usk region who say they have been negatively impacted by nutrient pollution of the rivers and land.  

The claim alleges that the nutrient pollution has been caused by chicken waste from members of the Avara/Cargill food manufacturer group and sewage released by Welsh Water.  

The River Lugg event, takes place at 6pm on April 10 in Leominster, and will provide an opportunity for residents to share their experiences in a roundtable session, as well as speak to lawyers who are leading an investigation into environmental pollution in the area to hear about what support might be available via the legal action.

The event takes place in the John Abel room at Grange Court and will provide the chance for members of the community to share their experiences and participate in a Q&A session with lawyers about the legal claim.  

Leigh Day solicitor Celine O’Donovan, who will be at the event, said: “Members of the community in the Lugg area are being hit by the consequences of alleged industrial-level nutrient pollution in the river by large corporate actors.

“This claim is community-led, so we want to hear from members of the community about how they have been impacted. We welcome local residents to join our event, or reach out to us, to share their experiences.”