Journey
Achieving nutrient neutrality
Step-by-step guide to achieving nutrient neutrality for development in affected catchments. Learn how to calculate your nutrient budget, identify mitigation options, and prepare your planning application.
What you will learn
If your development site is in a nutrient-affected catchment, you cannot get planning permission without demonstrating nutrient neutrality. This guide takes you through the compliance process step by step.
By the end of this guide, you will understand:
- How to confirm whether your site is affected
- How to calculate your nutrient budget
- Your options for achieving neutrality
- How to prepare your Nutrient Neutrality Statement
- When wastewater upgrades might help
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Confirm whether your site is affected
Nutrient neutrality requirements currently apply in 27 catchments covering 74 local planning authorities across England.
Check if nutrient neutrality affects your site
How to determine whether your site is in an affected catchment
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Calculate your nutrient budget
You must calculate how many kilograms of nitrogen and/or phosphorus your development will generate, then demonstrate how you'll mitigate this.
The calculation process:
- Download the catchment-specific calculator from Natural England
- Input your development details (dwellings, occupancy)
- Calculate your existing baseline (current land use)
- Determine the net increase you need to mitigate
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Choose your mitigation approach
Once you know your nutrient budget, you must secure mitigation that achieves neutrality.
Mitigation options compared
Option Pros Cons On-site mitigation Direct control, lower ongoing costs Requires technical expertise, land take Natural England credits Simple, guaranteed compliance Not available in all catchments, cost Private mitigation schemes May be cheaper than credits Due diligence needed, variable quality Land use change Permanent mitigation Requires available land, ongoing management -
Understand the wastewater upgrade timeline
The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 requires water companies to upgrade treatment works in affected catchments.
Watch for the Nature Restoration Fund
The Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 (Royal Assent 18 December 2025) creates a Nature Restoration Fund and Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs). In time, developers may be able to discharge nutrient obligations by paying into a strategic fund instead of demonstrating site-by-site neutrality.
This route is enacted but not yet operational. As of mid-2026 no EDP is in force, so the per-site neutrality process in this guide still applies. Natural England has notified an intention to prepare nutrient-pollution EDPs, expected to be consulted on during 2026. Check the current position with your local planning authority.
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Prepare your Nutrient Neutrality Statement
Your planning application must include a Nutrient Neutrality Statement demonstrating compliance. This should include:
- Completed catchment calculator showing your nutrient budget
- Baseline calculations with assumptions explained
- Details of your mitigation strategy
- Evidence that mitigation is secured (for example, credit purchase or land agreement)
- Any supporting technical information
Nutrient neutrality compliance guide
Complete guidance on achieving and demonstrating nutrient neutrality
Checklist: Before you submit
- ☐ Confirmed site is in affected catchment
- ☐ Used correct catchment-specific calculator
- ☐ Calculated baseline and net increase accurately
- ☐ Identified mitigation option that achieves neutrality
- ☐ Secured mitigation (for example, credits purchased or land agreement signed)
- ☐ Prepared Nutrient Neutrality Statement with evidence
- ☐ Discussed approach with LPA in pre-application