<p><span>A new Lichfields report has found that Natural England “significantly” overestimates the impact of new housing development on nutrient pollution, according to the Home Builders Federation (HBF).</span></p><p><span>The report- <a href="https://www.hbf.co.uk/documents/11858/Lichfields-HBF_-_Demographics_Report_-_31_Mar_2022.pdf"><i>Achieving nutrient neutrality for new housing development</i></a> – commissioned by the HBF, questions the amount of nutrient-related pollution that Natural England estimates new build housing generates.</span></p><p><span>It also calls upon local authorities to amend their nutrient calculators to ensure projections accurately reflect local household sizes. HBF highlighted Natural England’s nutrient neutrality advice to councils, based on an assumption that each new home will increase the population in the catchment by 2.4 persons.</span></p><p><span>Lichfields’ analysis of the initial seven catchment areas affected by nutrient challenges shows that this default assumption significantly overstates the likely additional population that new housing would create, HBF stated. “The amount of mitigation required from each new development is also subsequently significantly overestimated,” it added.</span></p><p><span>Nutrient neutrality is currently one of the biggest challenges facing housebuilding. Following the “Dutch N” court ruling – which decreed that all development proposals must be checked to determine whether they will increase the level of pollutants entering watercourses – Natural England changed its guidance, advising local authorities to assess all housing applications in order to …