Nutrient Neutrality Advice - Updated 24 March 2023
Natural England (NE) together with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUCH) announced on 16 March 2022 that the entire administrative area of Darlington Borough Council is now located within the catchment area of the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast Special Protection Area (SPA).
Under the Habitats Regulations, those planning authorities falling within the catchment area must carefully consider the nutrients impacts of any projects, including new development proposals, on habitat sites and whether those impacts may have an adverse effect on the integrity of the site that requires mitigation.
The Tees Catchment Area Planning Authorities recently commissioned a report to investigate the likely occupancy rate of new dwellings in the affected area. The conclusions of the report in relation to Darlington suggested a lower figure than the national figure used in the Natural England published Nutrient Budget Calculator. The figure for Darlington is 1.1 rather than the 2.4 national figure.
Further information and an updated Nutrient Budget Calculator for the Borough is available here:
By Planning Policy at 24 Mar 2023
