One of the country’s largest housebuilders is being prosecuted over a sewage effluent discharge into a County Durham watercourse.

Taylor Wimpey is the subject of two charges brought by the Environment Agency over the discharge of sewage effluent into a tributary of Shotton Beck, following work on a housing development at Sedgefield.

The pollution incident is said to have taken place at the Eden Gardens site, on September 17, 2019.

Taylor Wimpey is accused of causing a water discharge activity in contravention of an environmental permit due to the entry of sewerage effluent from a combined sewer into inland fresh waters, namely the unnamed tributary of the Shotton Beck, which runs south of Sedgefield.

Read more: Sedgefield residents plagued by flooding fear stagnant water poses health risk

The company admitted one of the two charges during a recent hearing before magistrates but indicated denial of a second count

The Northern Echo: Prosecution brought by the Environment Agency against housing developer Taylor Wimpey over a sewage

The Northern Echo:

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At a hearing at Durham Crown Court this week (Tuesday, August 22) the company asked that it should not be asked to plead over the second count as its plans to seek dismissal of that charge.

The dismissal application will be heard at a further case management hearing at the court on Thursday, December 21.

A provisional trial date was set, however, if it remains a contested matter.

Should there be a trial, it is scheduled to start at the court on Monday, May 13 next year.