Natural England accused of blocking nutrient solution

Natural England has been accused of blocking an innovative nutrient solution that could have allowed farmers to generate income while maintaining food production.

The solution, developed by Biocore Agri, a company in north-west England, aimed to provide a sustainable way for farmers to sell nutrient credits to counteract pollution from new housing developments.

These credits would have been generated by farmers transitioning from chemical fertiliser inputs to Biocore Agri’s Soil Association-approved alternative organic fertiliser.

See also: New approach on nutrient mitigation to help development

However, Biocore Agri claims Natural England blocked the scheme to protect its own £30m nutrient offsetting programme, which removes farmland from production and is expected to generate £80m in returns.

After an 11-month review, Biocore Agri’s solution was approved in May 2024, only for Natural England to reverse the decision shortly after, citing concerns over methodology.

Decision-making process

Local authorities consult Natural England to determine which schemes to approve for providing offset credits to developers when approving new homes.

Biocore Agri has now asked the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate Natural England for potential anti-competitive conduct, alleging the agency is protecting its commercial interests.

The dispute centres on “nutrient neutrality” rules, which require developers to offset water pollution from new homes, costing the economy £27bn.

Natural England’s methods typically involve converting farmland into woodlands or wetlands, a practice criticised for reducing food production.

Biocore Agri says its solution would have allowed farmers to meet nutrient neutrality requirements without sacrificing food production, offering a “win-win” for both the environment and food security.

While other schemes focus on being in place in perpetuity, Biocore Agri’s solution was designed to last until 2030, aligning with anticipated water upgrades.

This approach would have provided affordable credits for developers until 2030, after which they could secure smaller volumes of higher-cost credits, saving money.

Despite initial approval from Natural England and support from Somerset Council, Biocore Agri’s scheme was blocked.

The company believes this reversal reflects an attempt to protect Natural England’s commercial interests rather than supporting innovation or the environment.

Henri Willmott, Biocore Agri’s head of natural capital, accused Natural England of “institutional gaslighting” stating, “instead of supporting farmers and innovation, they’re choosing to protect their own commercial schemes”.

He also criticised Natural England for refusing requests for in-person meetings to discuss the matter.

Food security threat

The Housebuilders Federation has estimated that the agency’s offsetting schemes may lead to the removal of more than 12,000ha of farmland from production to offset 140,000 homes in nutrient neutrality areas, undermining food security at a time of scarce agricultural land.

Several MPs have called for an investigation into Natural England’s actions.

However, Mike Burke, Natural England’s director for sustainable development, defended the agency’s role, insisting: “We are working across government and businesses to restore nature and sustain food production while tackling the housing crisis.”

He also noted that decisions on mitigation measures are made by Local Planning Authorities based on scientific evidence – not Natural England.