Natural England has announced new opportunities for developers in the Tees catchment whilst protecting the environment.

The third round of credit sales under the national Nutrient Mitigation Scheme will allow development to take place and will help reduce nutrient pollution on freshwater sites.

If development takes place alongside suitable mitigation, the additional damage coming from the wastewater systems in the new developments can be avoided.

Tees catchment developers will have the opportunity to purchase credits to offset the impact of development and create new areas for wildlife. Previous rounds of credits unlocked 3,500 homes, with credits sourced for another 4,500 homes before April 2024 which has seen over 260 hectares created for wildlife.

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Marian Spain, Chief Executive at Natural England, said: "This next tranche of credits provides the certainty needed to enable homes to be built while protecting a wide variety of internationally important species including wading birds, insects and special plants.

"If we are to meet our legally binding obligations to halt the decline in nature, it is vital we take concerted action to protect these habitats with all sectors needing to reduce their impact to help protect the environment. We will continue to work with government to deliver practical solutions that help nature recovery."

Announced in July 2022, the Nutrient Mitigation Scheme is led by Natural England in partnership with Defra and DLUHC. The government is supporting the scheme with a £30 million investment.

Since July last year, Natural England has provided credits to other enabled mitigation schemes which, in total, will allow over 50,000 homes to be built.