Havant says pollution rule block to house building removed

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Rooftops of new homesImage source, Reuters
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Havant Borough Council's leader is "delighted" the block to house building has been removed

A borough says it is "open for business" following a pause on house building over pollution concerns.

Havant Borough Council temporarily stopped processing housing applications in March when Natural England changed its guidance on nutrient pollution.

The environmental authority said all new developments would be measured against a "nutrient budget" that would need to be offset.

It meant the council had to pause any building and conduct further research.

Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus can wash into marine and freshwater habitats from residential areas, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

'Unnecessary pressure'

Excessive pollution of these compounds can speed up the growth of aquatic vegetation and algae faster than the ecosystem can handle.

The council undertook an analysis of a nutrient mitigation scheme at Warblington Farm Nature Reserve in Havant, Hampshire, which it said confirmed its ability to provide valuable mitigation.

Alex Rennie, leader of Havant Borough Council, said: "I'm delighted to see that the block to housing development in the borough has been removed, and grateful to council officers for their considerable work to achieve this goal.

"The impact of the unannounced changes by Natural England created unwanted and unnecessary pressure on the council, developers and residents alike.

"I look forward to more open dialogues in the future with Natural England to ensure we can develop housing in an effective and environmentally-aware manner."

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