DEFRA have recently issued a Notice of Designation of Sensitive Catchment Areas.
It is expected that Natural England will now update their advice in relation to phosphates pollution in the Poole Harbour SPA. When combined with the Dorset Council tariff based approach for those applicants / developments that need to provide mitigation in respect of nitrates, this should mean that the ‘moratorium’ can come to an end. We are also expecting BCP Council to progress with their section 33 agreements to allow mitigation credits to be purchased for scheme in the River Avon catchment area. Good news for those who have been held in the queue, but something to be mindful of if you have a 5YHLS Appeal live at present!
A full list of all the waste treatment plants to be upgraded can be found in the link below;
Notice of designation of sensitive catchment areas 2024 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Director Giles Moir commented; “this is a positive step in bringing the moratorium on residential development in the Poole Harbour and River Avon catchment areas to an end – although our experience across the country has been that a tariff based system could take many months to put in place – we would urge Dorset Council to work with Natural England in order to implement a strategy to allow planning approvals to be issued”.