Environment & Climate
Labour MP urges regulator to block Norfolk Broads housing plan
The Guardian reports that Chris Hinchliff wants the Office for Environmental Protection to stop a plan allowing 15,780 homes for £42m in developer payments.
The short version
- Labour MP Chris Hinchliff is asking the Office for Environmental Protection to block approval of the Norfolk Broads environmental delivery plan.[The Guardian]
- The plan would permit 15,780 new homes, with developers paying £2,675 per house, or £42m in total.[The Guardian]
- Hinchliff says Natural England's own figures show funded conservation would leave nutrient pollution entering the water permanently.[The Guardian]
- Ministers and Natural England say the plan supports housing growth and habitat restoration, and the consultation closes on 31 October.[The Guardian]
Key facts
- Labour MP Chris Hinchliff asked the Office for Environmental Protection to intervene and stop approval of the Norfolk Broads environmental delivery plan.[The Guardian]
- The plan would permit 15,780 new homes, with developers paying £2,675 per house, totaling £42m.[The Guardian]
- The Norfolk Broads require cuts of 91 to 97 percent in nutrient pollution to recover.[The Guardian]
- According to Natural England figures cited by Hinchliff, funded conservation would leave about 83% of extra nitrogen and up to 61% of extra phosphorus entering the water permanently each year.[The Guardian]
- The Norfolk Broads environmental delivery plan is open to consultation, which ends on 31 October.[The Guardian]
- Ministers say environmental delivery plans are needed to unblock growth toward a target of 1.5m new homes by the end of this parliament.[The Guardian]
What remains uncertain
- Hinchliff's claims that the plan breaches the Planning and Infrastructure Act and lacks the best available science are allegations, and the government says the plan is scientifically scrutinised.[The Guardian]
- Whether the Office for Environmental Protection will intervene is unknown, as the article reports only Hinchliff's letter to its chief executive.[The Guardian]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.
- Stop ‘cash to trash’ housebuilding in Norfolk Broads, says Labour MPThe Guardian - World