Consultancy Greenshank Environmental, in partnership with Dace Environmental, has secured approval for a nutrient neutrality scheme which is expected to unlock development of thousands of homes along The Stour river in Kent, Property Week can reveal.
The Stodmarsh Stream Enhancement Scheme is expected to unlock development of between 3,000 and 5,000 homes across Ashford, Canterbury and the wider Stour catchment in its first phase, with a second phase bringing potential capacity to up to 8,000 homes.
The scheme will bring a new supply of nutrient neutrality credits to the market, allowing developers to meet water pollution requirements under the Habitats Regulations. Credits will be available through Greenshank’s online platform to help developers identify and secure units more efficiently.
Greenshank said more than 160,000 homes had been delayed as a result of nutrient neutrality rules, which require developers to mitigate additional nutrient pollution.
It also said the Stour catchment in Kent, which feeds into the Stodmarsh wetlands, is one of the most affected areas in the country, with limited mitigation options available to developers.
Kim Connor-Streich, chief commercial officer at Greenshank, said: “Developers across the Stour catchment have spent years unable to bring forward sites because of the nutrient issue.
“This scheme finally provides a clear and reliable route to compliance, backed by long-term security and real ecological improvement.
“We’re applying natural processes at a scale we haven’t delivered before, and being first into the market with a solution of this size gives developers the certainty they’ve been waiting for. The credits generated here will help unlock thousands of homes and provide a practical blueprint for how nutrient mitigation can be delivered in other constrained catchments.”
Greenshank is currently onboarding developers seeking nutrient neutrality credits for forthcoming applications across the Stour catchment.
In November 2024, the government unveiled plans to unblock 28,000 homes stalled by nutrient neutrality rules via the £47m .
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