Farmer-developer partnerships could work well in Shropshire

Housebuilding in regions close to rivers is being delayed because developers need to comply with regulations concerning the level of nutrients from developments feeding into water systems.

Mitigation measures taken elsewhere in the UK to ensure a housing development will be nutrient-neutral have seen developers pay farmers to take land out of agricultural use to reduce nitrates produced by livestock and fertilisers.

It’s an approach that has already been approved by Natural England and sees developers purchasing ‘credits’ from the farmer where the land had previously been used for farming. It’s a solution that could work equally well in an area like Shropshire.

The removal of large areas from agricultural use is likely to meet resistance if allowed to go too far, but as a means of addressing the current backlog in housing delivery, it could serve as an important starting point.

Mark Turner, associate solicitor with FBC Manby Bowdler