When Sam Stafford first covered nutrient neutrality, in February 2021, he described the process of eutrophication as a bit like the podcast itself: a little niche, but very important.

When Sam published a second episode in September 2022 it had grown in importance to the extent that Prime Minister Liz Truss had pledged to "scrap nutrient neutrality rules".

A Government press release issued in August 2023 stated that “through an amendment to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill (LURB), the Government will do away with this red tape and allow for the delivery of more than 100,000 new homes desperately needed by local communities."”

 The LURB amendments in question were subsequently defeated, nutrient neutrality rules have not been scrapped, and 2 June 2024 marks the fifth anniversary of Natural England’s first advice note for LPAs in the Solent Region. The question that Sam posed in that second Shades episode remains just as pertinent: how far away is a satisfactory resolution in those parts of the country that have been affected?

In order to provide an updated answer to that question Sam invited old friend of the podcast Rachel Jones and new friends of the podcast Andrew Smith and Gemma Nelmes to share their experiences. Rachel is Ecology Manager at Wiltshire Council; Andrew is Head of Development Management at the Lake District National Park Authority; and Gemma is an Associate at Stantec.

Eagle-eyed Listeners may have spotted that the title of this episode is Neutral Impact III (and a bit of Green Belt). Sam has very kindly been invited by Richard Kimblin at No. 5 Chambers and Sarah Young at LUC to contribute to a Green Belt Summit that they are holding on Wednesday 3 July. It is in London, but will be available to view online as well. The three of them had a brief preparatory chat last recently about the spur for the summit and the hopes for it. That chat features in the final section of the episode.

Some accompanying reading.

100,000 more homes to be built via reform of defective EU laws

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/100000-more-homes-to-be-built-via-reform-of-defective-eu-laws?pk_campaign=newsletter_6337

Natural England and Dorset Wildlife Trust buy Lyscombe farm

https://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/24310589.natural-england-dorset-wildlife-trust-buy-lyscombe-farm/

Claims that developers are responsible for water pollution are a load of poo

https://capx.co/claims-that-developers-are-responsible-for-water-pollution-are-a-load-of-poo/

Is the Government backtracking on environmental protection?

https://capx.co/is-the-government-backtracking-on-environmental-protection/

PAS Nutrient Neutrality Programme

https://www.local.gov.uk/pas/topics/environment/nutrient-neutrality-and-planning-system

Natural England Framework for Wetland Mitigation Proposals

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/6543a2f8de0348f683187ff268a79687?item=4

Information on Nature Based Solutions as Nutrient Mitigation

https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/6680815300509696

Natural England’s nutrient mitigation scheme for developers

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/natural-englands-nutrient-mitigation-scheme-for-developers

CIRIA publishes new guidance on SuDS construction

https://www.ciria.org/CIRIA/News/CIRIA_news2/CIRIA_publishes_new_guidance_on_SuDS_construction.aspx

Green Belt Summit Details

https://www.no5.com/2024/05/greenbelt-summit/

Fields in Trust

https://fieldsintrust.org/

England’s nature chief calls for building on green belt to solve housing crisis

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/nov/18/england-nature-chief-tony-juniper-thinks-green-belt-land-solve-housing-crisis

The Green Belt. What it is and why; what it isn't; and what it should be

http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-green-belt-what-it-is-why-it-is.html