Sir,
You report that a directive from Natural England demanding ‘nutrient neutrality’ or no net increase in river pollution by nitrates and phosphates as a result of housing development has effectively put a stop to building in key areas of the country.
Although agriculture can cause pollution, the Environment Agency found only 30% of pollution in the River Wensum came from farmed land. And the Wensum farmers, having done their own testing with the University of East Anglia, consider it to be significantly less than that. Pollution also comes from sewage treatment plants, highways and industry.
Farmers may not be the only, or even the biggest problem here but they can be the solution. The Environmental Farmers Group that I chair is a co-operative company recently set up (supported by GWCT) to bring farmer members across Wiltshire and Hampshire’s Avon catchment together with house builders and others to buy and sell ‘offsets’ that create the neutrality demanded. This market in Natural Capital is set to become a key feature of the agricultural economy, bringing cleaner water and environmental benefits.
Yours faithfully,
Robert Shepherd
Chairman, Environmental Farmers Group
How can we start such groups on SW Scotalnd? I envisage one for each of the main river basins.