Autumn statement gives hope over Norfolk homes limbo

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt used the autumn statement to announce an extra £110m will be available to local councils to help unlock the stalemate caused by the nutrient neutrality issue.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt (Image: PA)

That has been welcomed in Norfolk, where many councils have been unable, following a directive by government advisor Natural England, to give housing the go-ahead in catchment areas of the Wensum and the Broads.

That directive said councils could not permit new housing unless developers could 'offset' the extra nutrients that would flow from wastewater in the new homes, for example from washing machines and sewage.

Decisions on new homes have been held up by the nutrient neutrality directive (Image: Mike Page)

Since then councils have been trying to find ways to provide mitigation measures which would allow planning permission decisions to be made.

Council bosses have launched a joint venture company called Norfolk Environmental Credits Ltd, allowing housebuilders to 'offset' the impact of their developments by buying 'credits' to fund mitigation measures.

And, Mr Hunt's announcement that extra money will be put into the government's Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund means Norfolk councils have more chance of getting cash from that scheme to get mitigation measures in place.

The fund provides cash for improvements to wastewater treatment works, provision of septic tanks and natural schemes, such as new wetland.

John Fuller, leader of South Norfolk Council (Image: Archant)

John Fuller, leader of Conservative-controlled South Norfolk Council, said: "It is good news because it will all help.

"We have made significant progress in cleaning rivers and reducing pollution in the river Yare area.

"Access to more money will help those under restrictions in the areas of the Wensum and the Bure areas to clear the backlogs of applications, helping the economy and providing housing growth."

The government says the extra money will unlock 40,000 new homes over five years, although it has been estimated Norfolk alone has at least that number of stalled schemes.

Council officers recently agreed to pay a South Norfolk farmer close to £1m to not allow pigs to be farmed on his land to prevent nutrients flowing into the rivers Yare and Tas.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak visited Norfolk in August to announce the nutrient neutrality rules would be ripped up, but the government's bid to change legislation was defeated in the Lords.