Rural Outlook 2024 - Nutrient Neutrality Challenges: Key Takeaways for Landowners

Planning Partner, Iain Hill, discusses solutions to mitigate the impact of development.

The issue causing major delays

Since March 2021, the requirement for new planning permissions to demonstrate Nutrient Neutrality has effectively halted development across large parts of Norfolk. This is because there has been uncertainty around how to identify, deliver and secure the necessary mitigation. As a result, developers and landowners have been stuck in limbo, unable to gain approvals for housing projects impacting local habitat sites. However, solutions are starting to come forward after 18 challenging months.

Encouraging progress on offset solutions

The first nutrient credits are close to being sold by Norfolk Environmental Credits (NEC), which is an independent not-forprofit entity compromising Breckland Council, Broadland District Council, North Norfolk Council, and South Norfolk Council, that has been set up specifically to enable development to proceed.

The initial mitigation involves the removal of pigs on land to the south of Norwich, which will reduce the level of nutrients running into rivers, which are protected habitat sites. The land, which can still be used for arable farming, is estimated to provide credits to facilitate the delivery of 5,000 homes. The farmer will be compensated for not being able to keep pigs on the land. As a landowner/developer with an affected development, it would, if you haven’t already, be well worth getting in contact with NEC to register your interest for potential credit purchases. Alternatively, consideration should be given as to whether land could be used to provide mitigation.

NEC has worked hard to ensure a robust approach, with local authorities closely involved as guarantors to provide credibility.