WORKS to construct a major housing development in Christchurch have been delayed over phosphates.

Aster Group has already cleared the 2.17-hectare site off Barrack Road, formerly home to the police station, in preparation to construct 169 new homes.

But the housing company will need to demonstrate it can mitigate the impact of phosphates arising from its scheme in Bargates before any building work can commence.

As reported, in October 2023, BCP Council’s cabinet decided to change the validation requirements for planning applications in the Christchurch area.

Developers who want to build in the town now have to ensure levels of phosphates in the River Avon do not increase.

They can choose to implement direct measures or buy credits to offset its impact.

A spokesperson for Aster Group said: “Mitigation is currently delivered by sourcing phosphate credits, and we have sourced various phosphate credit solutions which we are submitting to the local authority.

"Once these are approved we can continue with our Christchurch development.

“Our commitment to delivering the new homes at this site remains resolute. This development includes much-needed affordable housing that is essential for the community.”

Aster added winter 2025 remains the target for the first homes to be completed.

But despite BCP Council reporting phosphates as the matter causing delays, others issues have been flagged.

Wessex Water said it was waiting on a response from Aster to questions it asked about sewerage infrastructure.

A spokesperson for the water company said: “We have a duty to ensure there is sufficient capacity in the sewer network to accommodate additional flows from new development, and we invest in network improvements where necessary.”

Aster also said it was waiting on approval from BCP Council on its strategy to test and clean up the development land as former brownfield site.

The local authority confirmed these documents had been received, and said it was in the "latter stages of testing" them.  

As well as this, Christchurch Residents Association (CRA) said in its October newsletter: “Work suspension continues due to several issues.

"A recent reply from BCP Council to our questions has shifted the focus from items it seems to want to avoid onto phosphates that would be created from the housing proposed. Phosphates are a problem that the sewage company is unable to handle.

"The council’s reply states that it is committed to this site development although it gives no useful details or sense of direction.”

BCP Council said it cannot be sure what CRA meant by “a recent reply from BCP Council to our questions has shifted the focus from items it seems to want to avoid onto phosphates that would be created from the housing proposed”.