Nutrient Neutrality – Where are we now?

Having previously looked at this issue in 2019/ 2020 I felt it time for an update.

Nutrient neutrality has borne a lot of frustration for housebuilders and other development professionals particularly in Solent region as Natural England continues to require strict compliance with the Habitat Regulations regarding the potential deterioration of European protected sites (e.g. the Solent SSSI) due to eutrophication caused by excessive nutrient loadings of treated effluent and run-off.

Whilst we have seen the emergence of a number of effective mitigation schemes, there are continued concerns about the long-term impacts to development in the area.

We currently find ourselves looking at Natural England’s fifth version of its ‘Advice on Achieving Nutrient Neutrality for New Development in the Solent Region’ (June 2020). Whilst this does not seem to contain significant changes to the advice in the previous version, it does now include a nitrogen budget calculator which must be used and submitted as part of each affected planning application.

I have worked on numerous schemes over the last few years which have become ‘stuck’ as a result of potential nitrate impacts where the developer does not have suitable agricultural land to offer as an offset/ mitigation measure. However, there could be light at the end of the tunnel. We have seen the emergence of a few schemes which allow financial contributions to be paid into a fund which goes towards securing existing agricultural land and take this out of agricultural use. This removal from active agricultural practice makes the land use less dependent on nitrogen inputs and can often also have significant ecological benefits. This form of mitigation measure, as long as well managed, allows for a strategic approach thus avoiding reliance on small piecemeal parcels of mitigation land which is has been shown to be less effective at reducing nitrogen loadings into the Solent.

We have worked with various Wildlife Trusts who are keen on ‘re-wilding’ Britain and this work can deliver suitable mitigation sites if they fall within the Solent region, so it is a win-win scenario. 1) The developer can keep their development on track and 2) the Wildlife Trust gets a much needed cash injection to carry on their excellent work in providing and maintaining nature reserves and protection other ‘wild places’ (see: Route to nitrate neutrality in the Solent). The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust has acquired Little Duxmore Farm on the Isle of Wight, which is acting as a pilot study for them (see Little Duxmore Farm - Pilot Study). It acts on a credit system where developers can buy credits that offset their calculated nitrogen loading against the nitrogen reductions from the rewilding of this site. This scheme is proving immensely popular and other sites are being sought by the Wildlife Trust in the Solent region.

Here at Yellow Sub Geo, our ethos is People, Planet, Profit – we put sustainability at the core of everything we do. Working in the property development sphere the need for growth and delivery of high quality housing in the coming years cannot be overlooked. But we are happy to see that together with the latest version of the NPPF promoting the use of Blue and Green Infrastructure on developments, developers are also contributing positively to the continued call to re-wild parts of Britain.

Feel free to get in touch if Nutrient Neutrality is affecting your development or you are interested in the campaign to re-wild parts of the UK.