Tens of thousands of new homes will be delivered across England,
thanks to government funding and partnership work, to unlock
stalled homes across England, and support our ambition to build
1.5 million homes.
Crucially, the Local Nutrient Mitigation
Fund will ensure building the homes we need will not come at
the expense of the environment, with the £47 million boost being
used to protect local rivers and precious habitats.
As part of the government's plans to get Britain building again,
the Local Nutrient Mitigation Fund will boost
housebuilding through locally led schemes, such as creating new
wetlands and upgrading septic tanks, to enable development is
sustainable.
Seven areas across the country will benefit from a share of £45
million to unblock stalled housing, help more families on to the
property ladder and deliver improvements to the natural
environment.
Twenty of the largest sites impacted by nutrient neutrality will
each receive a further £100,000 to support planning teams who
will implement pollution solutions across the local area.
Nutrient pollution is an urgent problem in areas across England,
with increased levels of nitrogen and phosphorous damaging
natural habitats and harming wildlife. This can impact
housebuilding in areas where the waterways are affected by excess
nutrient pollution. The government recognises the need to protect
these habitats and clean up our water while delivering the homes
this country needs.
More widely, and in addition to this new funding, the government
has begun the work of cleaning up our rivers, lakes and seas.
They are putting water companies under special measures through
the Water Bill, which will strengthen regulation including new
powers to ban the payment of bonuses for polluting
water bosses and bring criminal charges against persistent law
breakers.
The government are also carrying out an Independent Water
Commission to shape further legislation that will transform how
our water system works and clean up rivers, lakes and seas for
good.
Housing and Planning Minister said:
“We must build more homes across the country and unlock growth,
but this must not come at the expense of our natural
environment.
“Through this fund and alongside major reforms to the planning
system, we will accelerate housebuilding and deliver nature
recovery, creating a win-win outcome for both the economy and for
nature.”
Environment Minister said:
“Britain faces a housing and nature crisis.
“This new Government was elected with a mandate to get Britain
building again and restore nature. That is why we will deliver a
planning system that unlocks the building of homes and improves
outcomes for nature.”
The areas to benefit from the funding are:
- Norfolk Broads and the River Wensum: £8.8 million to
unlock over 6000 new homes
- River Axe: £4 million to unlock around 1000 new
homes
- The Solent: nearly £7 million to unlock over 2700 new
homes
- River Wye: over £2.7 million to unlock over 3000 new
homes
- River Mease: over £2.5 million to unlock over 700 new
homes
- River Lambourn: over £2.4 million to unlock over 800 new
homes
- River Eden, River Derwent and Bassenthwaite Lake, River Kent
and Esthwaite Water Catchment: over £15 million to unlock
over 13,000 new homes
To accelerate housing development and achieve the ambition to
build 1.5 million homes, the government has already:
- Announced an overhaul of the planning system through a
consultation on reforms to the National Planning Policy
Framework, including new mandatory housebuilding targets for
councils: LINK
- Launched a New Homes Accelerator group to unblock thousands
of new homes stuck in the planning system or partially
built.
- Introduced ‘brownfield passports' to ensure where planning
proposals meet design and quality standards, the default answer
to planning permission is yes: LINK
- Set up an independent New Towns Taskforce, as part of a
long-term vision to create largescale communities of at least
10,000 new homes each: LINK
- Awarded £68 million to 54 local councils to unlock housing on
brownfield sites: LINK
