Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made on the effectiveness of biodiversity net gain and nutrient credits.

Nutrient Credits

Government is committed to delivering sustainable development in areas impacted by nutrient neutrality advice and supporting local authorities and developers to identify suitable mitigation opportunities. Several catchments have already had successful mitigation schemes operated by local authorities or private organisations. The first credits from Natural England’s Nutrient Mitigation Scheme have now been sold in the Tees and Cleveland Coast catchment, providing mitigation to unlock housing. Further credits will be made available in Tees this year and work is underway to identify suitable projects in other catchments with high housing demand. To further support local nutrient mitigation schemes, DLUHC held a Call for Evidence and Expressions of Interest for funding which closed recently, and funding decisions will be made as soon as possible.

BNG

Mandatory biodiversity net gain (BNG), introduced in the Environment Act (2021), has not yet commenced. Government intends to commence the biodiversity net gain regime for most major development granted planning permission under the Town and Country Planning Act from November 2023, small sites from April 2024, and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects in 2025.