Nutrient Neutrality Update - Nov 2022
On 25th November 2022 Natural England (NE) published a little more information on its proposed Nutrient Mitigation Scheme.
The idea of a Government backed Nutrient Mitigation Scheme to kick-start projects was first announced in July (see our blogpost of 21st July), since when NE has been working with Defra, DLUHC, the Environment Agency, local planning authorities and others to develop the concept.
NE has now said that it is negotiating two mitigation projects with partners in the Tees catchment and investing in feasibility studies in five further catchments. From December 2022 it intends to approach landowners in target areas to discuss nutrient mitigation projects. Credits generated from these schemes will be offered to developers, particularly those which are SMEs or where the site is delivering affordable and social housing.
This is welcome news for those who have land which is suitable for nutrient mitigation. If a potential project is backed by NE, this should greatly reduce the element of risk which currently exists for the landowner. Uncertainty over whether the policy might be reviewed (following statements over the summer by then-leadership contender Liz Truss) plus concern about local supply and demand has made a number of landowners cautious about investing serious time, effort and money into projects, despite the potential rewards. Those schemes which NE chooses to support should have access to more information and better prospects, enabling them to be moved forward with greater confidence.
Challenges will remain, not least in how to fund the projects in a way which rewards both investor and landowner, but the more nutrient mitigation schemes which are developed the more we will all learn about what works and what doesn’t.
The flip side will apply, of course, to projects which NE does not back, which might then be delayed at best or shelved at worst.
This is a fast-moving area of policy and practice and those interested in becoming involved will need to stay up-to-date. Do contact us if we can help: kate@tellusnatcap.com.
28th November 2022