4 INDUSTRY NEWS
Publisher Anthony Parker
Managing Editor James Parker
James Parker
FROM THE EDITOR
A Government ‘call for evidence’ to try and discover what “successful” nutrient mitigation schemes look like (in areas where river phosphates and nitrates are too high) has reportedly been received “cautiously” by the industry.
Is the above paragraph leaving you scratching your head? I’m sure you’re not the only one – the whole concept of nutrient neutrality is something new and a somewhat irksome one for the industry. But it’s something that must be tackled, because right now regulations are proving a mammoth obstacle that is stopping hundreds of schemes – small and large – across the country.
Rivers are under threat from chemicals, with new developments as well as agriculture contributing nutrients like phosphorus and nitrates from waste- water, not to mention the run-off from construction itself. It’s a complex issue about protecting water quality and thereby our ecology, too many nutrients in this case being a bad thing. Natural England believes it’s serious enough for 120,000 homes to currently be held up in planning, effectively stalled until they resolve their nutrient contribution.
To the rescue again could be sustainable drainage approaches (SuDS), which will be mandatory in any case in 2024, if you’re struggling with achieving nutrient neutrality on your scheme. Developers might well be resistant to making the necessary investment, particularly in our current infl ationplagued times, but they could be costs which can get a project off the ground.
ON THE COVER
The Social Network: Patrick Mooney asks why social housing supply is drying up
Industry Advocate: Brian Berry says the Budget should have focused on home- building
Building Control: Christian Hale asks whether the system is fi t for purpose since privatisation
HOUSEBUILDER & DEVELOPER
APRIL/MAY 2023
As well as SuDS, mitigation strategies include the introduction of wetlands, and innovative planning devices, such as ‘nitrate trading.’ A recent example in the Solent region saw an auction platform set up to allow developers to buy ‘phosphates credits’ for their schemes.
he overnment has introduced catchmentspecifi c nutrient calculators to try and help developers work out exactly how much mitigation they need to apply in each development, which should help them size things correctly at least, before plans are put in.
Despite this increasing prominence of the issue for developments, it seems the wider industry isn’t yet putting it at the top of the agenda. A recent reader survey that our sister title Architects’ Datafi le undertook of architects was somewhat surprising when it came to the drivers that respondents saw as most important for creating ‘green infrastructure’ like SuDS in developments. Nutrient neutrality was at the bottom of the list of ‘very important’ factors, below user amenity, water purifi cation and conservation, biodiversity net gain and pollution control.
FAST & FULLY VOLUMETRIC
Premier Modular explains how a ‘Cat 1’ volumetric solution provided the rapid answer to the combined challenges of urgent housing need and the demands of a leading architect
HBD04
Cover.indd 1 Go to page 34
WWW.HBDONLINE.CO.UK 18/04/2023 13:35 James Parker, Editor
It’s clearly time for everyone to grapple with nutrient neutrality as one of the major blocks stopping us building.
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