Pivotal has submitted a response to the Department for Infrastructure's consultation on Developer Contributions for wastewater infrastructure.

This consultation comes at a vital moment for the future of water infrastructure. New approaches and clear priorities are urgently needed. Developer Contributions in isolation will be insufficient to make the system financially sustainable, but we hope this consultation can play a role in confronting a crisis that endangers housing, environmental and economic objectives central to the NI Executive’s Programme for Government.

This is a long-standing issue, and its scale has been made clear by numerous reports, including a recent intervention by the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council. Pivotal's own engagement with leading literature, and with key stakeholders in construction and housing have informed our response to this consultation.

The Department proposes two models of Developer Contributions: a voluntary contribution and a compulsory levy. While we engage constructively with these options, we recommend a full consideration of alternative governance and funding models which would put wastewater infrastructure on a more stable and sustainable footing.