What is Nutrient Neutrality?

Nutrient Neutrality is a legal standard set by the Government which came into force across the UK in 2020, addressing the impact of development on the environment and in certain water courses. It requires that development projects don't have a detrimental impact on water quality.

How this impacts development?

Developers need to offset the additional nutrient pollution caused by new developments within protected areas. They cannot get planning permission without doing this.

How we can help

Green Agri Land develops full Natural England approved land-based solutions, wetlands and other innovative schemes across the UK to provide nutrient offsets in areas affected by Nutrient Neutrality.

These schemes enable us to create nutrient credits that can be used by developers to offset their nutrient requirements, these can be set against specific developments and unlock their planning permissions.

We have experience in working alongside local planning authorities, delivering a full legal framework which ensure our mitigation projects will not only deliver nutrient credits, but give certainty that they are legally compliant from a planning perspective.

What is a Nutrient Credit?

Credits are created on an 'offset per year basis' as they need to offset the same amount of nutrients in perpetuity.

Credits are calculated in kgs of nitrogen or phosphorus removed from the environment. Each kg of nitrogen or phosphorus removed will be sold as a nutrient credit.

Which areas are affected by Nutrient Neutrality?

27 areas of England and Wales have been impacted by Nutrient Neutrality. This means that more than 72 of the UK’S 333 planning authorities cannot consent until new development is proved to be being nutrient neutral.

Below are that catchments currently affected:

England

  • The River Tees catchment
  • The River Wensum and Norfolk Broads catchments
  • The Somerset Levels
  • The Solent
  • The Hampshire Avon catchment
  • The River Eden catchment
  • The Derwent and Bassenthwaite Lake catchment
  • The River Wye and Lugg catchment (Herefordshire)
  • The Poole Harbour catchment
  • The River Stour and Stodmarsh catchment
  • The River Wye catchment (Derbyshire)
  • The River Camel catchment

Wales

  • The River Usk catchment
  • The River Dee catchment
  • The River Wye catchment
  • The River Towy catchment
  • The River Cleddau catchment
  • The River Teifi catchment