Nutrient Neutrality
Alongside all other local planning authorities in Norfolk, the Broads Authority received a letter in 2022 from Natural England concerning nutrient pollution in the protected habitats of the Broads Special Area of Conservation and Ramsar site.
The letter advised that new development within the catchment of these habitats comprising overnight accommodation has the potential to cause adverse impacts with regard to nutrient pollution. Such development includes, but is not limited to:
- new homes,
- student accommodation,
- care homes,
- tourism attractions,
- tourist accommodation,
- permitted development (which gives rise to new overnight accommodation) under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, and
- Any development not involving overnight accommodation, but which may have non-sewerage water quality implications.
This useful video explains what Nutrient Neutrality is:
The Conservation of Species and Habitats Regulations 2017 require local planning authorities to ensure that new development does not cause adverse impacts to the integrity of protected habitats such as the Broads prior to granting planning permission. Therefore, we will only be able to grant planning permission for developments comprising overnight accommodation within the affected catchments if suitable mitigation has been secured.
Further information can be found on this website: Nutrient Neutrality - Broadland and South Norfolk. In particular, there is more information about what an applicant needs to do to demonstrate nutrient neutrality, further information on nutrient budget calculator tools and more information about mitigation.
Norfolk Environmental Credits are a not-for-profit company investing in local schemes that mitigate nutrient loads entering waterways. They sell the resulting nutrient neutrality credits, for both phosphorus and nitrogen, to developers to enable sustainable housing development by offsetting the nutrients arising from the new homes. Applicants are advised to contact Norfolk Environmental Credits to see if you are able to buy nutrient neutrality credits.
Downloads and links
- Norfolk nutrient calculator training video - this YouTube video is designed to help those who need to use the Norfolk Calculator.
- River Wensum SAC and Broads SAC Nutrient Budget Calculator - Updated May 2024 (XLSX) - This calculator is based on the Natural England calculator, but some parts have been updated to reflect Norfolk. There is an accompanying technical report (see below) that provides more information.
- Norfolk Nutrient Budget Calculator Technical Report (PDF) - The Norfolk nutrient budget calculator is a regional specific tool designed to rapidly calculate the nutrient loading from new residential development in the catchments of the River Wensum SAC and the Broads SAC. This report presents the methods, principles and key assumptions on which the calculator is based. Natural England have responded to the potential to use this Norfolk Calculator and the response is below.
- Natural England Norfolk Nutrient Calculator Response (PDF)
- Catchment Map (PDF)
- Nutrients Catchment Map (PDF)
- Bure Nutrients Catchment Map (PDF)
- Wensum Nutrients Catchment Map (PDF)
- Nutrient Neutrality Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
- Report: Small scale discharges of phophorous: Low risk mapping (PDF) - The guidance relates to small discharges from Package Treatment Plants (PTPs) and Septic Tanks (STs) and it states that where all of the requirements of pre-defined conditions are met, a PTP / ST will not have a likely significant effect on the designated site from phosphorus.
- Small Scale Discharge Low Risk Zone Map
- Royal Haskoning Final Norfolk Nutrient Strategy Nutrient Mitigation Solutions Report - This report sets out suitable short, medium, and long-term mitigation options that could potentially be used to offset the additional nutrient load from a new development within the catchment of the River Wensum Special Areas of Conservation and/ or The Broads Special Areas of Conservation, including potential strategic options to manage nutrient inputs and allow further residential development to proceed.