- Date of Article
- Mar 21 2022
- Sector
- Planning & development
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Issues relating to nutrient neutrality continue to grow with Natural England issuing advice to 42 further local authorities where Habitats Sites are in an unfavourable conservation status and additional nutrient loads, such as from development, may have an adverse effect.
Local authorities have been advised that planning applications and plans in affected areas should be carefully considered and mitigation should be used to ensure there are no adverse effects to meet the requirements of the Conservation of Species and Habitats Regulations 2017. The advice will have an immediate impact on planning applications and appeals in affected areas, requiring authorities to stall housing development until they can guarantee schemes are ‘nutrient neutral’. Local authorities may also need to reconsider the acceptability of current proposals in light of the advice.
This advice had previously been issued to 32 local planning authorities, including those in the Solent region as well as in Herefordshire, Kent, Somerset and Cornwall. A total of 74 authorities are now affected. Whilst Natural England have advised that “different local planning authorities are affected to different degrees”, it is clear that this is a now becoming a national issue, with concentrations of affected authorities in the south and south-west, the north-west, and East Anglia.
The 74 authorities, in alphabetical order are:
|
1 |
Allerdale Borough Council |
21 |
East Hampshire District Council |
41 |
Malvern Hills District Council |
|
2 |
Ashford Borough Council |
22 |
East Riding of Yorkshire Council |
42 |
Mendip District Council |
|
3 |
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council |
23 |
East Staffordshire Borough Council |
43 |
Mid Devon District Council |
|
4 |
Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk |
24 |
Eastleigh Borough Council |
44 |
Middlesbrough Council |
|
5 |
Bournemouth, Christchurchand Poole Council |
25 |
Eden District Council |
45 |
New Forest District Council |
|
6 |
Breckland Council |
26 |
Exmoor National Park Authority |
46 |
New Forest National Park Authority |
|
7 |
Broadland & South Norfolk Council |
27 |
Fareham Borough Council |
47 |
North Norfolk District Council |
|
8 |
Canterbury City Council |
28 |
Folkestone and Hythe District Council |
48 |
North Warwickshire Borough Council |
|
9 |
Carlisle City Council |
29 |
Gosport Borough Council |
49 |
North West Leicestershire District Council |
|
10 |
Cheshire East Council |
30 |
Great Yarmouth Borough Council |
50 |
North York Moors National Park Authority |
|
11 |
Cheshire West and Chester Council |
31 |
Hambleton District Council |
51 |
Northumberland County Council |
|
12 |
Chichester District Council |
32 |
Hartlepool Borough Council |
52 |
Northumberland National Park Authority |
|
13 |
Copeland Borough Council |
33 |
Havant Borough Council |
53 |
Norwich City Council |
|
14 |
Cornwall Council |
34 |
Herefordshire Council |
54 |
Peak District National Park Authority |
|
15 |
Darlington Borough Council |
35 |
High Peak Borough Council |
55 |
Portsmouth City Council |
|
16 |
Derbyshire Dales District Council |
36 |
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council |
56 |
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council |
|
17 |
Dorset Council |
37 |
Isle of Wight Council |
57 |
Richmondshire District Council |
|
18 |
Dover District Council |
38 |
Lake District National Park Authority |
58 |
Sedgemoor District Council |
|
19 |
Durham County Council |
39 |
Lichfield District Council |
59 |
Shropshire Council |
|
20 |
East Devon District Council |
40 |
Maidstone Borough Council |
60 |
Somerset West & Taunton Council |
|
61 |
South Derbyshire District Council |
|
62 |
South Downs National Park Authority |
|
63 |
South Lakeland Council |
|
64 |
South Somerset District Council |
|
65 |
Southampton City Council |
|
66 |
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council |
|
67 |
Swale Borough Council |
|
68 |
Swindon Borough Council |
|
69 |
Test Valley Borough Council |
|
70 |
The Broads Authority |
|
71 |
Vale of White Horse District Council |
|
72 |
West Berkshire Council |
|
73 |
Wiltshire Council |
|
74 |
Winchester City Council |
The Government have announced a series of practical, financial, and legislative measure to help address the issue of nutrient neutrality in affected areas across the UK. Further information on these measures can be found on the Government website.
For advice on what these changes mean for your site, please contact one of our planning professionals in one of our regional hub offices.