New research
illustrates starkly the minimal contribution made by residents of new homes
towards nutrient levels in rivers, highlighting the absurdity of the approach
taken by Government quango Natural England to ban new build housing across
swathes of the country.
Around 150,000 new homes currently remain on hold amidst the country’s
deepening and acute housing crisis while new investment in housing delivery
plummets.
The research by the
consultancy Brookbanks shows that the occupancy of new homes accounts for
just 0.29% of total nitrogen emissions each year and 0.73% of total phosphorus.
(nitrogen and phosphorus make up ‘nutrients’).
The calculation is based on an assessment of the
nutrients generated by the occupants of all new homes built in a year, assuming
an average of 230,000 new homes are built each year - the average for the last
three years. It vividly underlines the seriously disproportionate effect of
Natural England’s advice, which has resulted in a moratorium on new house
building across 74 Local Authority areas. As the report
makes clear, this embargo will secure no meaningful improvement in the
condition of rivers. The quango’s decision is, however, having increasingly
grave consequences for those in housing need, and threatens jobs in the house
building industry and its supply chain.
The new research
also puts nutrient output from residential properties in the context of
agricultural activities which is responsible for around 70% of the nitrogen
that finds its ways into rivers and streams. Brookbanks find that each dairy
cow in affected areas produces Nitrogen discharges equivalent to 29 homes while
each sheep is responsible for the same amount of Nitrogen as three family
homes.
Earlier this year, it was shown that while Natural
England has placed an embargo on new homes, fellow Defra quango, the
Environment Agency continues to grant licences to farmers to exceed European
standards for the spreading of Nitrogen on land through derogations from
EU-derived law. In evidence to the
House of Lords Built Environment Committee, the Deputy Chief Executive of
Natural England described the oversight of agriculture imposed by the
Environment Agency as ‘a less onerous regulatory regime’. Meanwhile, water
companies, whose leaks and lack of investment in infrastructure leading to discharges
of wastewater into rivers, make up the majority of the rest of the nutrient
pollution also continue to operate without any restrictions or new
requirements.
Along with the weakening of the planning system the
Government has proposed, that has now seen more
than 60 local planning authorities withdraw their housing plans, and the
absence for the first time in decades of a Government scheme to support first
time buyers, the unnecessary nutrients ban is one of the main reasons why all
indicators are now showing that housing supply is plummeting.
All commentators, including the Environment Agency have
long agreed, that the chief sources of nutrient-related pollution are
agricultural activity and a failure to adequately treat wastewater - the latter
being a result of the fact that the infrastructure operated by the water
companies has been unable to cope with demand and so discharges partly or
untreated effluent into our rivers. This despite developers providing water
companies with more than £1bn in new assets and fees over the past three years alone.
New build homes do not lead to more people, and population levels are not
linked to housing supply levels – but they do mean more people are housed in
decent accommodation, and with new homes being more water efficient than
existing homes, reduce the amount of wastewater those occupants use.
The report shows that agriculture accounts for 70% of
the nitrogen released into our rivers, with the existing housing/population
contributing 30% through discharges into the sewerage system (new housing would
contribute 0.29% of this figure); whilst for phosphates, agriculture is
responsible for 25%, and the existing housing/population 74% (new homes would
account for 0.73% of this figure).
Stewart Baseley, Executive Chairman of HBF said: “The
research highlights the absurdity and pointlessness of the ongoing ban on new
homes.
"Everyone accepts that new build housing is a
negligible contributor to the issue yet after over four years the ban goes on.
"Preventing new development does absolutely
nothing to improve the disgraceful quality of our rivers, but is exacerbating
our acute housing crisis, preventing people accessing decent accommodation and
costing jobs.
"After another missed opportunity in the King’s
Speech, we urgently need to see politicians delivering a solution to address
this damaging ban so that desperately needed homes can be built.”
Despite the clear evidence the report highlights, nearly
four and a half years since Natural England used a previously unused EU rule to
impose the first moratorium, the ban on development goes on. Whilst politicians
on all sides say they recognise the need to find a solution a proposal remains
to be agreed. One that was tabled by the Government during the Levelling up
Bill was brought down in the Lords by a combination of opposition and Tory
peers; whilst the King’s Speech proved to be another missed opportunity despite
earlier suggestions to the contrary.
Whilst the Natural England ban remains, its counterpart
the Environment Agency continues
to grant license to farmers to use additional nutrient rich fertilisers, over
and above the agreed limits; whilst research shows that house builders have
given water companies over £1bn in the past three years alone, to ensure
infrastructure is in place to facilitate new homes – something they have
palpably failed to deliver.
Water companies covering some of the areas most
severely affected by the nutrient neutrality restrictions are among those to
have received the highest payments from developers over recent years with
Severn Trent receiving almost £70m in payments and Anglian Water topping £60m
in contributions from builders.
