• First plan under new Nature Restoration Fund to help deliver up to 15,780 new homes in Norfolk 
• Major step forward in the government’s drive to reform the planning system and secure a win-win for nature and housebuilding  
• Landmark new approach to secure over £30 million to restore nature at scale and improve green spaces the public can enjoy, including iconic Norfolk Broads 

Plans to unlock up to 15,780 new homes in Norfolk will be published today in a first test of a new government approach to winning public consent for housebuilding.  

The plans, drafted by Natural England under the Nature Restoration Fund, are part of a win-win approach to housebuilding and nature restoration, delivering the healthier wetlands and waterways people want to see in their communities alongside new housing developments.  

Rather than paying for piecemeal and costly nature mitigations as required under previous regimes, the scheme in Norfolk will see developers fund large scale improvements to rivers and wetlands across the county, which are home to species such as otters, water voles and wetland birds, and visited by millions of people each year.   

The first local blueprint, known as an Environmental Delivery Plan (EDP), will be published for consultation today by Natural England and is designed to tackle pollution in rivers and waterways across Norfolk. Pollution has been a major barrier to building new homes in parts of the county, with developers having to commission costly surveys and mitigation measures which have not done enough to restore the natural environment at scale. 

This instead gives developers a cost-effective way to deliver more effective nature restoration through a simple levy payment. This money paid by developers will then be administered by Natural England and used to deliver conservation measures at scale, improving water quality and wetlands in Norfolk, including in the iconic Norfolk Broads. 

The plan will also create new opportunities for Norfolk farmers, landowners, and private organisations to work with Natural England to deliver conservation measures to support nature recovery. 

The area earmarked for new homes and nature restoration includes the River Wensum, Bure Broads and Marshes, and Yare Broads and Marshes catchments, covering a substantial part of central and eastern Norfolk. 

Environment Secretary Angela Eagle said:  

“People know there’s a housing crisis and that we must build more homes to tackle it. But people also want to live in communities they can be proud of, with thriving green spaces everyone can enjoy. 

“This government rejects the false trade-off between delivering infrastructure and restoring our environment. 

“Our plans are a win-win for development and nature, unlocking thousands of new homes and raising millions to improve our natural environment.” 

Natural England Chief Executive Marian Spain said:  

"The EDP represents a new way to protect nature while also supporting growth. Instead of tackling pollution piecemeal, site by site, we can now deliver conservation measures that make a real difference for rivers, wetlands and wildlife across Norfolk.  

"This will help restore the natural systems that underpin our security and protect our wellbeing, giving developers certainty that the money they need to spend is making a positive contribution to local communities.”   

Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said: 

“The Nature Restoration Fund established by our landmark Planning and Infrastructure Act will move us beyond the sub-optimal status quo and unlock a win-win for development and nature.”

“Today’s publication of the first draft Environmental Delivery Plan demonstrates in practice how the Fund will unlock and accelerate development while going beyond neutrality to drive nature recovery”.

The consultation is open for 28 working days, and Natural England is inviting responses to help shape the final EDP before it is submitted to the Secretary of State.   

Natural England is also developing EDPs for other areas of the country where housebuilding is impacted by nutrient pollution in rivers. Further detail on these will be published shortly.