Natural England to search out nutrient mitigation sites

Natural England (NE) plans to start approaching landowners in the next few weeks to invite them to put land forward as potential sites for nutrient mitigation activities.

NE is rolling out a national Nutrient Mitigation Scheme (NMS) which will allow developers to buy credits generated by planting new woodland or creating wetlands.

These credits can then be used to offset the effects of nutrient pollution, mainly phosphates and nitrogen, caused by developments.

See also: Nutrient scheme plans unveiled to unlock planning backlog

There are now 74 local planning authorities that have been told that that development projects can only go ahead if they will not cause additional pollution to legally protected sites for nature.

The need for developers to follow nutrient neutrality guidelines has caused massive delays within the planning system, affecting farmers wanting to put up farm buildings, as well as housebuilders.

River Tees

Defra has issued an update on the NMS anouncing the first two sites will be in the north-east of England in the River Tees catchment.

Developers are expected to be able to apply for the credits in this region before the end of March 2023.

Investment in feasibility studies in five further catchments is under way to determine the scheme’s next mitigation sites.

“From December 2022, Natural England will approach landowners in a targeted way to invite them to offer their land as potential sites for nutrient mitigation,” said Defra.

“These sites will start to provide the mitigation needed by local planning authorities and developers, and we will expand across the country to facilitate building thousands of new homes, as well as making a major contribution to nature recovery through the creation of new wetlands.”

Credits from the government-backed scheme will be offered in batches that any developers requiring credits can apply for.

Developers can also continue to put their own mitigation schemes in place should they choose.

Wastewater plant upgrades

The government has announced a new legal duty on water companies in England to upgrade wastewater treatment works by 2030 in nutrient neutrality areas to the highest achievable technological levels.

It has made extra funding available to the Environment Agency to increase farm inspections to at least 4,000 a year by 2023.