HBF Updates on Nutrient Neutrality

Last week, The Home Builders Federation #HBF published a new Lichfields report referencing the increasing pressure on water companies and farmers to acknowledge the high nutrient levels in rivers.

Agriculture and water treatment have been a catalyst for new home building to be disproportionately sanctioned by Natural England. Stewart Baseley the Chairman of the HBF said “It is widely accepted that the ban on new housing is disproportionate and unnecessary and does nothing to tackle the main causes of the nutrients issue. The new report identifies more balanced and speedier solutions that would help to alleviate this socially and economically damaging ban”.

The current nutrient calculators have been recommended for an update to better reflect the real impact of the desperately needed residential developments in the current housing crisis. The recommendation will focus on the net additional population from new housing developments rather than the old focus of the gross population in new dwellings.

The second important area for change is the commencing of statutory improvements to wastewater treatment works taking effect in 2030, which have been set out in this year’s budget from the government. This will best affect larger developments with longer build-out timescales or developments planned to take place post-2030. These proposals have indeed been passed on to both the government and Natural England, it is now down to them if they are adopted.

For more information get in touch with Dean Swann to find out what this means for your development.

Technical Director, Land, Development and Communities Group

Dean Swann

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