New funding boost for Nutrient Neutrality planning

Date published: 5th November 2024

North Norfolk District Council is set to receive a welcome funding boost from the Government to help ensure local planning development complies with Nutrient Neutrality laws.

Local planning authorities affected by nutrient neutrality were last year  invited to submit bids for funding to deliver nutrient mitigation schemes, with the aim of progressing stalled housing delivery in their areas.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government has now confirmed more than £45m in funding for seven local authority areas in Round Two of the funding process – with North Norfolk District Council set to benefit from a share of £8.85m earmarked for local lead authority, Broadland District Council.

Broadland and partner authorities including North Norfolk are also to benefit from £100,000 of Nutrient Support Funding, which will be distributed to lead local planning authorities for each catchment area.

On its website the Government commented:

“We are clear that we need to continue to take action so that development can continue in areas affected by nutrient pollution.

“That is why we are announcing £45 million to 7 areas for the second funding round from the £110 million Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund (LNMF). This supports local planning authorities to bring forward nutrient mitigation schemes and progress stalled housing development.”

Welcoming news of the local allocation, North Norfolk District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning and Enforcement, Cllr Andrew Brown, commented:

“This a commitment from the new Government to follow the model of the previous administration, to invest in Norfolk to find mitigation solutions to unblock the development sites which have been held up by nutrient neutrality since March 2022.

“This will benefit housing delivery in North Norfolk by unlocking these sites for future development.”