Nutrient neutrality: Changes must unlock agricultural and tourism development too, says CLA

The CLA has urged the government not to forget about unlocking agricultural and tourism development, as well as housing, after reports it is to ease nutrient neutrality rules.

Ministers are said to be keen on changing nutrient neutrality rules on building near rivers to speed up 160,000 new homes.

In summer 2023, an amendment to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill was proposed that would have ease the restrictions on planning applications and enable the delivery of more than 100,000 homes. The amendment would have required local planning authorities to assume that nutrients from proposed development would not adversely affect relevant sites.

The amendment was cancelled in September 2023, with no change to the legislation enabling development to come forward. But the new Labour government is now eyeing changes to stimulate building.

Country Land and Business Association (CLA) President Victoria Vyvyan said:

“Balancing the need for more housing with the needs of the environment is difficult. The current nutrient neutrality rules have blocked building, and while families and workers are in need of more homes there needs to be careful review to make sure large developers are responsible and accountable for their pollution.

"Any changes to the rules need to reflect this, as farmers’ ambitions to grow and diversify their businesses are being thwarted.”