My speech to Norfolk County Council about Nutrient Nutrality on 26.09.23
Chair, earlier this month the Government confirmed that it intended to scrap Nutrient Neutrality laws. Laws regarded by organisations such as the RSPB as vital legislation that protects against water pollution caused by developments near to protected areas.
This matters to us here in Norfolk. Natural England concluded, following extensive research, Norfolk, along with 26 other areas with protected sites all over England, was on the edge. They determined that Norfolk’s river network simply couldn’t continue to take excess nutrients from house building without further damage to those habitats and species.
Councils, environmental groups and developers have spent months, and many thousands of pounds of public funds, working on a way forward, only for the Government to change course again at the eleventh hour.
It is important to understand that Nutrient Neutrality laws do not prevent development, but they do require developers to demonstrate that they have offset the pollution they will be generating by funding measures elsewhere in the catchment.
The greater the impact on the environment, the greater the offset required. The laws essentially encourage developers to adopt a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach from the outset.
And it is important to note that if nutrient neutrality laws are scrapped it will be taxpayers picking up the bill for the pollution caused by housebuilders with extra public money made available to pick up the pieces.
Recent analysis has shown that Britain’s eight biggest housebuilders have made more than £7billion pounds in profits in the two years since the pandemic.
Residents, developers, councils, the environment all need research led, well-considered laws, they need time to plan and prepare. A Government that changes policy ‘on the hoof’ serves nobody.
But it’s not just the constant changing narrative from the Government that is the problem here. As the Housebuilders Federation points out, the inaction by this Government over a number of years has led us to this latest mess. The Government has not taken seriously the root causes of river pollution – they’ve delayed and procrastinated. Allowing water companies to get away with a lack of investment and declining infrastructure which results in significant quantities of nutrients entering out waterways. Further, the Government has been turning a blind eye to agricultural runoff too and whilst nutrient neutrality laws are important, these other factors are being ignored.
It is important to consider that as well as the obvious environmental risks, scrapping these laws could have huge negative financial implications for Norfolk’s economy.
It is estimated that the Norfolk Broads alone attract seven million people a year to Norfolk, contributing around half a billion pounds to the local economy, supporting more than 6,000 jobs. And that’s just the Broads. The Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is responsible for nearly 2 million overnight visits a year and contributes a further £163m.
We weaken our waterways at our peril, both environmentally and financially.
I hear the arguments about needing to scrap these laws to speed up house building. I recognise the demand. I see with my own inbox the many housing related cases. But, we can and must ensure development in the short term, does not destroy our environment in the long term.
We’re not doing nearly enough to tackle empty homes, second homes and under-occupancy in this County. In 2022, there were more than 4,000 homes empty across Norfolk, a 17% increase on the year before. In the same year there’s more than 13,000 second homes too.
Chair, we absolutely should be addressing our housing challenges in Norfolk, the affordability, the size, shape and location but we should be protecting our precious natural environment too, an environment that is integral to our economic success.
We simply can’t allow this situation to become a trade off between homes and our environment. If we can’t find a way for them to live together then neither will thrive and we’ll all be far worse off.
Chair, earlier this month the Government confirmed that it intended to scrap Nutrient Neutrality laws. Laws regarded by organisations such as the RSPB as vital legislation that protects against water pollution caused by developments near to protected areas.
This matters to us here in Norfolk. Natural England concluded, following extensive research, Norfolk, along with 26 other areas with protected sites all over England, was on the edge. They determined that Norfolk’s river network simply couldn’t continue to take excess nutrients from house building without further damage to those habitats and species.
Councils, environmental groups and developers have spent months, and many thousands of pounds of public funds, working on a way forward, only for the Government to change course again at the eleventh hour.
It is important to understand that Nutrient Neutrality laws do not prevent development, but they do require developers to demonstrate that they have offset the pollution they will be generating by funding measures elsewhere in the catchment.
The greater the impact on the environment, the greater the offset required. The laws essentially encourage developers to adopt a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach from the outset.
And it is important to note that if nutrient neutrality laws are scrapped it will be taxpayers picking up the bill for the pollution caused by housebuilders with extra public money made available to pick up the pieces.
Recent analysis has shown that Britain’s eight biggest housebuilders have made more than £7billion pounds in profits in the two years since the pandemic.
Residents, developers, councils, the environment all need research led, well-considered laws, they need time to plan and prepare. A Government that changes policy ‘on the hoof’ serves nobody.
But it’s not just the constant changing narrative from the Government that is the problem here. As the Housebuilders Federation points out, the inaction by this Government over a number of years has led us to this latest mess. The Government has not taken seriously the root causes of river pollution – they’ve delayed and procrastinated. Allowing water companies to get away with a lack of investment and declining infrastructure which results in significant quantities of nutrients entering out waterways. Further, the Government has been turning a blind eye to agricultural runoff too and whilst nutrient neutrality laws are important, these other factors are being ignored.
It is important to consider that as well as the obvious environmental risks, scrapping these laws could have huge negative financial implications for Norfolk’s economy.
It is estimated that the Norfolk Broads alone attract seven million people a year to Norfolk, contributing around half a billion pounds to the local economy, supporting more than 6,000 jobs. And that’s just the Broads. The Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is responsible for nearly 2 million overnight visits a year and contributes a further £163m.
We weaken our waterways at our peril, both environmentally and financially.
I hear the arguments about needing to scrap these laws to speed up house building. I recognise the demand. I see with my own inbox the many housing related cases. But, we can and must ensure development in the short term, does not destroy our environment in the long term.
We’re not doing nearly enough to tackle empty homes, second homes and under-occupancy in this County. In 2022, there were more than 4,000 homes empty across Norfolk, a 17% increase on the year before. In the same year there’s more than 13,000 second homes too.
Chair, we absolutely should be addressing our housing challenges in Norfolk, the affordability, the size, shape and location but we should be protecting our precious natural environment too, an environment that is integral to our economic success.
We simply can’t allow this situation to become a trade off between homes and our environment. If we can’t find a way for them to live together then neither will thrive and we’ll all be far worse off.
