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Poole Harbour catchment: how to apply for nutrient mitigation credits from Natural England

Updated 30 April 2025

Applies to England

If you want to build new housing units within the Poole Harbour catchment area (also known as the Poole Harbour Special Protection Area and Ramsar catchment area), you may need to mitigate any nutrient pollution your development creates. Mitigating nutrient pollution is part of the process to get planning permission with your local planning authority (LPA).Ìý

To do this, you can apply to buy credits that fund mitigation activities, such as creating a new woodland or wetland. This will balance out nutrient pollution produced by your housing development.Ìý

Nutrient mitigation credits can be long or short term. Natural England only offers long-term credits but these can meet both the short-term (pre-2030) and long term (post-2030) requirements.

Alternatively, in the Dorset council area you can apply to Dorset council for short-term credits (which they call temporary credits), and to Natural England for long-term credits.

Natural England cannot advise where you buy credits from.

This guidance explains how to buy credits from Natural England바카라 사이트™s nutrient mitigation scheme.Ìý

Who can applyÌý

You can apply to buy nutrient credits from Natural England if you want to build any number of housing units, including just one house. You can be:바카라 사이트¯Ìý

• an individual바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• a housing developer of any size바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• a consultant working on behalf of an individual or a developer바카라 사이트¯Ìý

Your development must be classed as a permanent residential development and be within the Poole Harbour catchment area.Ìý

When to applyÌý

The next application round for the Poole Harbour catchment area (round 3) opens at 10am on 11 June 2025 and closes at 11:55pm on 8 July 2025.

Any applications received outside of an application round will be rejected.Ìý

You need to submit a planning application and have the planning application reference before you apply for credits, but you do not need to have received the permission.바카라 사이트¯Ìý

Step 1: Calculate how many nutrient mitigation credits you needÌý

Calculate how many credits you need to buy, based on how many nutrients your development needs to mitigate.Ìý

To do this:Ìý

1. Read the guidance on using the calculatorsÌýÌý
2. Use the Poole Harbour SPA, Ramsar: nutrient neutrality calculatorÌýÌý

The calculator will tell you the total amount of nitrogen you need to mitigate and how many credits you need. To mitigate one kilogram (kg) of nitrogen, you need to buy one credit. To mitigate 2.75kg you바카라 사이트™ll need to apply to buy 2.75 credits.Ìý

The calculator will also tell you if your required credit amount changes after 2030. If it does, the calculator will provide a pre and post-2030 nutrient loading figure in kg per year and you need to provide both on your application form.ÌýÌýÌý

Natural England currently offers long term credits only. However, these can meet both the short term (pre-2030) and long term (post-2030) requirements.ÌýÌý

Submit your calculations to your바카라 사이트¯LPA바카라 사이트¯as part of your planning application. Your바카라 사이트¯LPA바카라 사이트¯will confirm if the calculations are correct.Ìý

You can apply for credits before your calculations are confirmed.Ìý

If your바카라 사이트¯LPA바카라 사이트¯tells you that the number of credits you have applied for is incorrect, email Natural England at creditsales.nutrientmitigation@naturalengland.org.uk for advice on what to do next.Ìý

How much credits costÌý

The cost of a credit in the Poole Harbour catchment area for round 2 is £3,250.Ìý

This includes a standard admin fee of £182.50 plus VAT per application. The fee covers the cost of processing the application and is non-refundable.ÌýÌý

The cost of credits can vary between catchment areas and in different rounds, depending on how much mitigation projects cost.ÌýÌý

Step 2: Apply for creditsÌý

Complete the application form with the following information:바카라 사이트¯Ìý

• the developer바카라 사이트™s contact details바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• the consultant바카라 사이트™s contact details (if applicable)바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• agent authorisation (if applicable)Ìý
• site location as an바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• the development site address바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• a map showing the boundary of the development site as a Geographic Information System (GIS) polygon shapefile or Google Earth바카라 사이트¯KML바카라 사이트¯file바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• the planning use class of the development바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• the number of housing units you are building바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• the number of units classed as affordable housing바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• your planning application reference바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• the date you expect the first unit to be occupied바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• the number of credits you need to buyÌý

To submit your application, attach a copy of the completed application form and completed nutrient budget calculation to an email and send them to creditsales.nutrientmitigation@naturalengland.org.uk. If you do not, your application may be rejected.

You바카라 사이트™ll get a confirmation email from Natural England.바카라 사이트¯ Your information will be checked by a company called Accenture on behalf of Natural England.Ìý

How credits will be allocatedÌý

Credits are allocated depending on the number of housing units you plan to build. In any one round, 60% of the credits will be made available to smaller developments (those of 50 units or fewer) and 40% to larger developments (those of 51 units or more).Ìý

Following prioritisation, any unallocated credits within the smaller developments pot will be transferred to the larger developments pot, or the other way around.Ìý

Within these pots, credits will be allocated to support the greatest number of homes. This means an application where 10 houses can be built for every credit will be prioritised over one where 5 houses can be built. Older planning applications that have already been granted full planning permission, subject to mitigating nutrient mitigation pollution, can form part of this application process.Ìý

If multiple applications are prioritised equally, we will consider the order in which the applications were received.Ìý

Step 3: Sign and return your nutrient credit certificateÌý

If your application is successful, Natural England will email you with the following:바카라 사이트¯Ìý

• an unsigned nutrient credit certificate바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• your unique reference number (quote this in all correspondence)바카라 사이트¯Ìý

Check the following information on your nutrient credit certificate:Ìý

• how many credits you바카라 사이트™ve been allocated바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• the details of the development바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• the total cost of credits for mitigation바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• the scheme바카라 사이트™s terms and conditions바카라 사이트¯Ìý

If the information is correct, sign and return the certificate to creditsales.nutrientmitigation@naturalengland.org.uk.바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Ìý

Pay the deposit바카라 사이트¯Ìý

Natural England will send you an invoice for one of the following, whichever is highest:바카라 사이트¯Ìý

• the admin fee of £182.50 plus VAT (standard minimum fee)바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Ìý
• 10% of the total cost of credits바카라 사이트¯Ìý

You need to pay this within 28 days or risk losing your credit allocation.바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Ìý

When you바카라 사이트™ve paid, you바카라 사이트™ll receive your signed provisional nutrient credit certificate.Ìý

Step 4: Continue your application for planning permission with your바카라 사이트¯LPAÌý

Send a copy of your provisional nutrient credit certificate to your바카라 사이트¯LPA바카라 사이트¯as proof that you have been allocated nutrient mitigation credits. Your바카라 사이트¯LPA바카라 사이트¯will confirm whether you can continue your planning application.바카라 사이트¯Ìý

Your provisional nutrient credit certificate expires 36 weeks after the issue date. The start date is on the front page alongside the nutrient credit certificate expiry date.바카라 사이트¯Ìý

If you cannot get planning permission within 36 weeks, contact creditsales.nutrientmitigation@naturalengland.org.uk to request an extension, giving the reason for any delays.바카라 사이트¯Ìý

If you do not do this, your nutrient credit certificate will expire and your credits may be reallocated.Ìý

If you do not continue with your planning applicationÌý

You may be able to get a refund if you contact Natural England within 28 days of one of the following happening:Ìý

• you withdraw your planning applicationÌý
• your development is refused planning permissionÌý
• you are given planning permission, but you do not agree to its terms and decide to withdraw from the developmentÌý

To request your refund, email creditsales.nutrientmitigation@naturalengland.org.uk 바카라 사이트¯with:Ìý

• the reason for your refundÌý
• your unique reference numberÌý

If your deposit is higher than the administration fee, Natural England may refund your 10% deposit, minus an admin fee of £182.50 plus VAT. If your deposit was the same amount as the administration fee it is non-refundable.Ìý

Step 5: Tell Natural England as soon as you get a planning decisionÌý

You must tell Natural England within 8 weeks of receiving planning permission. Email a link to the decision notice on your바카라 사이트¯LPA바카라 사이트¯website to creditsales.nutrientmitigation@naturalengland.org.uk.바카라 사이트¯Ìý

Natural England will invoice you for the remaining value of your credits. You must pay this within 28 days.바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Ìý

If you do not contact Natural England within 8 weeks or pay your final invoice in 28 days, your nutrient credit certificate will expire, and your credits will be reallocated.바카라 사이트¯Ìý

When you바카라 사이트™ve paid in full, you바카라 사이트™ll be sent your final nutrient credit certificate.Ìý

Step 6: Send your nutrient credit certificate to your바카라 사이트¯LPAÌý

When you have received your final nutrient credit certificate, send a copy to your바카라 사이트¯LPA. Your바카라 사이트¯LPA바카라 사이트¯will confirm if you have met the nutrient mitigation conditions of your planning application.Ìý

When this has been confirmed, the housing on your development can be occupied.Ìý

If the size of your development changesÌý

If the size of your development changes you must let your바카라 사이트¯LPA바카라 사이트¯and Natural England know.Ìý

It바카라 사이트™s your responsibility to calculate and confirm how many credits you now need.Ìý

When you contact Natural England, provide your unique reference number and details of what has changed, including:Ìý

• how much the development has changed in sizeÌý
• a map showing the new boundary of the development site as a GIS polygon shapefile or Google Earth바카라 사이트¯KML바카라 사이트¯fileÌý
• how many credits you now needÌý

Natural England will tell you if you need to submit a new application.Ìý

If the number of credits you need has increased, Natural England cannot guarantee they will be able to allocate you the additional credits. This may lead to a delay in your planning decision. You can apply for the additional credits in the next round of applications.Ìý

If the number of credits you need has decreased, you may be entitled to a partial refund. Natural England will tell you if this is possible.Ìý

If the name on the certificate needs amending바카라 사이트¯Ìý

If the name on the certificate needs to change you must inform Natural England as soon as possible. 바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Ìý

Contact creditsales.nutrientmitigation@naturalengland.org.uk. 바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Ìý

A change to the name of the certificate may require new checks and invoicing details. There may be an additional administration fee to pay. 바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Ìý

If a name change is not possible, any payment and VAT will be refunded without interest, after the admin fee has been deducted.Ìý

Get helpÌý

If you need more information on Natural England바카라 사이트™s nutrient mitigation scheme and how to apply, email nutrientmitigation@naturalengland.org.uk.