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Planning mayhem as pollution fears put thousands of homes on hold.
1st August 2019
FEARS over dangerous levels of nitrates in the environment have halted building of thou- sands of homes across Fare- ham and South Hampshire
It’s brought mayhem to the planning department already struggling to re- write the Draft Plan after Whitehall kept moving the goal posts.
Andit’saslapinthefacefortheGov- ernment that had ordered Fareham to find greenfield space for thousands of extra homes.
The Council’s planning boss labelled it ‘plain nonsense’. Poet John Milton summed it up in Paradise Lost:“Confusion worse confound- ed.”
Natural England, the Government’s adviser on nature conserva- tion, raised concerns that additional levels of new housing could lead to higher levels of nitrates due to increased amounts of wastewater.
Exhaust emissions from increased traffic passing close to The Solent or watercourses leading to it may also result in some ni- trates increases.
Since April, Natural England required all house builders to quan- tify the nitrogen level from their development sites and to identify and mitigate any increase in the nitrates from that land.
In less than a year, yet more green fields have come under threat
after Whitehall demanded that Fare- ham finds space for up to 2,500 extra homes on top of the 2,300 houses the Council had already been forced to add to the new Draft Plan 2011-2036.
Executive Member for Planning and Development Councillor Keith Evans said:“For all current and new planning applications Fareham planning staff are requiring developers to undertake a nutrient assessment, using Natural Eng- land methodology.
“They must work with the Council to identify any valid mitigation – such as removing land from agricul-
tural use which will offset any nitrates from new development.” Keith Evans added: “As a good example of this approach, the nutrient assessment of the Welborne development north of Fare- ham, which is being built on farming land, indicates nitrogen in-
crease neutrality and will continue as planned.”
“We will work with developers to find mitigation measures, but
ultimately this issue must be dealt with at Government level.We are working with all South Hampshire councils through the Part- nership for South Hampshire and other organisations to find a long-term solution.
“It is plainly nonsense to have one side of Government pushing for additional housing – with sanctions if not achieved – and an- other putting obstacles in place and not helping to find solutions.”
It’s brought mayhem to the planning department already struggling to re- write the Draft Plan after Whitehall kept moving the goal posts.
Andit’saslapinthefacefortheGov- ernment that had ordered Fareham to find greenfield space for thousands of extra homes.
The Council’s planning boss labelled it ‘plain nonsense’. Poet John Milton summed it up in Paradise Lost:“Confusion worse confound- ed.”
Natural England, the Government’s adviser on nature conserva- tion, raised concerns that additional levels of new housing could lead to higher levels of nitrates due to increased amounts of wastewater.
Exhaust emissions from increased traffic passing close to The Solent or watercourses leading to it may also result in some ni- trates increases.
Since April, Natural England required all house builders to quan- tify the nitrogen level from their development sites and to identify and mitigate any increase in the nitrates from that land.
In less than a year, yet more green fields have come under threat
after Whitehall demanded that Fare- ham finds space for up to 2,500 extra homes on top of the 2,300 houses the Council had already been forced to add to the new Draft Plan 2011-2036.
Executive Member for Planning and Development Councillor Keith Evans said:“For all current and new planning applications Fareham planning staff are requiring developers to undertake a nutrient assessment, using Natural Eng- land methodology.
“They must work with the Council to identify any valid mitigation – such as removing land from agricul-
tural use which will offset any nitrates from new development.” Keith Evans added: “As a good example of this approach, the nutrient assessment of the Welborne development north of Fare- ham, which is being built on farming land, indicates nitrogen in-
crease neutrality and will continue as planned.”
“We will work with developers to find mitigation measures, but
ultimately this issue must be dealt with at Government level.We are working with all South Hampshire councils through the Part- nership for South Hampshire and other organisations to find a long-term solution.
“It is plainly nonsense to have one side of Government pushing for additional housing – with sanctions if not achieved – and an- other putting obstacles in place and not helping to find solutions.”