Labour to spend £47m unlocking 28,000 ‘nutrient neutrality’ homes

Seven areas of England are to share £47 million to ‘unlock’ some 28,000 homes waiting to be built but stalled due to ‘nutrient neutrality’ rules.

These stop new housing developments from adding more nutrients to rivers, such as nitrogen and phosphorus from sewage and rainwater run-off, once they are built.

The nutrients damage natural habitats and harm wildlife and money therefore must be spent on affected sites to ensure this doesn’t happen, impacting development profitability and therefore stalling progress.

This new cash will help alleviate this problem in areas near to big rivers including in the Norfolk Broads, the River Axe, The Solent and three other big water courses – the Wye, Mease, Eden and Lambourn.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) says the cash for the scheme will come from the Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund.

Rivers and habitats

“This will ensure building the homes we need will not come at the expense of the environment, with the £47 million boost being used to protect local rivers and precious habitats,” it says.

Twenty of the largest sites impacted by nutrient neutrality will each receive a further £100,000 to support planning teams who will implement pollution solutions across the local area.

“Through this fund and alongside major reforms to the planning system, we will accelerate housebuilding and deliver nature recovery, creating a win-win outcome for both the economy and for nature,” says Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook.

Environment Minister Mary Creagh adds: “Britain faces a housing and nature crisis.
“This new Government was elected with a mandate to get Britain building again and restore nature. That is why we will deliver a planning system that unlocks the building of homes and improves outcomes for nature.”