Government Announces Measures to Ease Delivery of Nutrient Neutrality
Nutrient Neutrality measures have imposed a moratorium on development in 74 local planning authorities in England (as well as some in Wales) where that development would contribute more nitrates and/or phosphates into the catchments of protected waterbodies. For more background on Nutrient Neutrality, read our blogpost of 31st March 2022.
The Government has now announced a two-pronged approach to tackling the problem, in an effort to start to solve the nutrient pollution issue and release development from the moratorium.
In his Statement of 20th July, Defra Secretary of State George Eustice pledged to:
impose a new statutory duty on water and sewerage companies in England to upgrade wastewater treatment works in nutrient neutrality areas “to the highest technically achievable limits” by 2030
support Natural England to establish a Nutrient Mitigation Scheme which will provide pump-priming finance for mitigation projects, such as wetland and woodland, which would be repaid through the sale of nutrient credits to developers.
The Nutrient Mitigation Scheme is due to launch in the autumn and further detail is awaited, but Defra has said that it will seek to ensure that the Scheme does not crowd out private sector schemes which are aiming to deliver similar outcomes. Smaller developers will be prioritised for access to the credits created under the Scheme.
Defra’s Statement on improving water quality and tackling nutrient pollution of 20th July can be found at
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2022-07-20/hcws258
21st July 2022