Chris Loder, MP for West Dorset, has expressed his support for the Government’s amendments to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, which will address nutrient neutrality rules and unblock planning and development across the country.
The local MP has been directly involved with the Prime Minister and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in finding a resolution to the issues with nutrient neutrality. The River Frome, Piddle, and its tributaries, have all been affected by nutrient neutrality, which all flow through the West Dorset constituency to the Poole Harbour catchment area, which is a Special Protection Area. Speaking about the amendments, Mr Loder said:
“After months of lobbying the Government, I am glad that a resolution is finally in sight to unlock housebuilding and development across the country. It will relieve the widespread impact here in West Dorset, where the development of new homes has been prevented since 2017 – a direct result of nutrient neutrality and defective EU laws. This has particularly affected young people who want to continue to work and live in the constituency, but who have been unable to get onto the property ladder to do so”.
“Nutrients entering our rivers are a genuine concern of mine, but the contribution made by new homes is very small. Tackling the issue at source is a more pragmatic approach to this issue, and to this extent £280 million is being committed to Natural England for it to expand and evolve its Nutrient Mitigation Scheme.”
