Representatives from David Wilson Homes, EPS Water and Icosa Water recently welcomed delegates from New Zealand to its water treatment works at The Woodlands development in Broad Oak, Sturry.
Hosted by British Expertise International, a leading membership network for UK-based organisations, the event welcomed an Infrastructure New Zealand delegation of participants from across the industry. Offering a full tour of the facility, the visit reflected ongoing knowledge sharing of water-based solutions between the United Kingdom and New Zealand, welcoming attendees from Infrastructure New Zealand, Wellington Water, Watercare (Auckland) and Hynds Group amongst others. The treatment works provided insight into UK-based sustainable infrastructure, nutrient balance assessments and local nutrient credit availability.
Officially named ‘The Woodlands Water Recycling Centre’, the plant is a purpose-built solution for achieving Nutrient Neutrality for housing developments under the ‘Habitats Regulations’ in a joint venture between David Wilson Kent, EPS Water and Icosa Water. Nutrient Neutrality applies to applications where there is a net increase in the number of dwellings and allows developments to progress without impacting the condition of protected sites.
Work on the site began back in March 2023 with the official commencement of operations in August 2024. The centre now treats all flows from the growing development and is operated by Icosa Water, an Ofwat-regulated company, with EPS Water providing operational support.
Nick Leggett, Infrastructure New Zealand Chief Executive, comments: “Our visit to The Woodlands Water Recycling Centre perfectly summarised our UK-wide delegation. New Zealand faces similar infrastructure delivery challenges to the UK, and we believe the best way through those challenges is to find practical solutions and to share innovative knowledge across our industry. The treatment centre gave us insight into some of the latest nutrient-neutral practices in wastewater treatment. New Zealand can take lessons from the impressive model we saw at The Woodlands.”
William Walsh, Managing Director at David Wilson Kent, comments: “The water treatment works has provided an essential benchmark for finding suitable solutions for Nutrient Neutrality and unlock homes in the UK. We are proud to have such a pioneering project here in Kent. While we regularly share our expertise across the UK, it was a particular privilege to welcome delegates from New Zealand and share our work internationally.”
Shaun Stevens, General UK Manager from EPS Water, adds: “We’ve welcomed several delegates across the water industry and beyond since operations began almost 18 months ago. The treatment works is testament to what can be achieved through innovation and strong partnerships across the water and housing sectors. We would like to thank all that attended on the day, it was a real honour to host international delegates.”
