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If you want to build new housing units within the Tees catchment area (also known as the Teesmouth or Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast 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).听

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.听

This guidance explains how to buy credits from Natural England鈥檚 nutrient mitigation scheme.

Who can apply听

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:鈥�

• an individual鈥�
• a housing developer of any size鈥�
• a consultant working on behalf of an individual or a developer鈥�

Your development must be classed as a permanent residential development and be within the Tees catchment area.

When to apply听

The next application round for the Tees catchment area (round 10) opens on 13 August 2025.

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

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.鈥�

Choose the round that best fits your planning application timings. For example, if you plan to build housing in 12 months鈥� time, consider applying for credits in future application rounds.

Step 1: Calculate how many nutrient mitigation credits you need听

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

To do this:听

1. Read the guidance on using the calculators听
2. Use the Teesmouth SPA, Ramsar: nutrient neutrality calculator听听

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 you鈥檒l need to apply to buy 2.75 credits.听

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.听听听

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

Submit your calculations to your LPA as part of your planning application. Your LPA will confirm if the calculations are correct.听

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

If your LPA 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.

How much credits cost听

The cost of a credit in the Tees catchment area for round 9 is 拢2,700.听

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

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

Step 2: Apply for credits听

Complete the application form with the following information:鈥�

• the developer鈥檚 contact details鈥�
• the consultant鈥檚 contact details (if applicable)鈥�
• agent authorisation (if applicable)听
• site location as an鈥�
• the development site address鈥�
• a map showing the boundary of the development site as a Geographic Information System (GIS) polygon shapefile or Google Earth鈥疜ML鈥痜ile鈥�
• the planning use class of the development鈥�
• the number of housing units you are building鈥�
• the number of units classed as affordable housing鈥�
• your planning application reference鈥€�
• the date you expect the first unit to be occupied鈥�
• the number of credits you need to buy听

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.

You鈥檒l get a confirmation email from Natural England.鈥� Your information will be checked by a company called Accenture on behalf of Natural England.听

How credits will be allocated听

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).听

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

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.听

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

Step 3: Sign and return your nutrient credit certificate听

If your application is successful, Natural England will email you with the following:鈥�

• an unsigned nutrient credit certificate鈥�
• your unique reference number (quote this in all correspondence)鈥�

Check the following information on your nutrient credit certificate:听

• how many credits you鈥檝e been allocated鈥�
• the details of the development鈥�
• the total cost of credits for mitigation鈥�
• the scheme鈥檚 terms and conditions鈥�

If the information is correct, sign and return the certificate to creditsales.nutrientmitigation@naturalengland.org.uk.鈥€�

Pay the deposit鈥�

Natural England will send you an invoice for one of the following, whichever is highest:鈥�

• 拢182.50 plus VAT (standard minimum fee)鈥€�
• 10% of the total cost of credits鈥�

You need to pay this within 28 days or risk losing your credit allocation.鈥€�

When you鈥檝e paid, you鈥檒l receive your signed provisional nutrient credit certificate.

Step 4: Continue your application for planning permission with your鈥�LPA听

Send a copy of your provisional nutrient credit certificate to your鈥�LPA鈥痑s proof that you have been allocated nutrient mitigation credits. Your鈥�LPA鈥痺ill confirm whether you can continue your planning application.鈥�

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.鈥�

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.鈥�

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

If you do not continue with your planning application听

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

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

To request your refund, email creditsales.nutrientmitigation@naturalengland.org.uk with:听

• the reason for your refund听
• your unique reference number听

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

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

You must tell Natural England within 8 weeks of receiving planning permission. Email a link to the decision notice on your鈥�LPA website to creditsales.nutrientmitigation@naturalengland.org.uk.鈥�

Natural England will invoice you for the remaining value of your credits. You must pay this within 28 days.鈥€€�

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.鈥�

When you鈥檝e paid in full, you鈥檒l be sent your final nutrient credit certificate.

Step 6: Send your nutrient credit certificate to your鈥�LPA听

When you have received your final nutrient credit certificate, send a copy to your鈥�LPA. Your鈥�LPA鈥痺ill confirm if you have met the nutrient mitigation conditions of your planning application.听

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

If the size of your development changes听

If the size of your development changes you must let your鈥�LPA鈥痑nd Natural England know.听

It鈥檚 your responsibility to calculate and confirm how many credits you now need.听

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

• how much the development has changed in size听
• a map showing the new boundary of the development site as a GIS polygon shapefile or Google Earth鈥疜ML鈥痜ile听
• how many credits you now need听

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

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.听

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.听

If the name on the certificate needs amending鈥�

If the name on the certificate needs to change you must inform Natural England as soon as possible. 鈥€�

Contact creditsales.nutrientmitigation@naturalengland.org.uk. 鈥€�

A change to the name of the certificate may require new checks and invoicing details. There may be an additional administration fee to pay. 鈥€�

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

Get help听

If you need more information on Natural England鈥檚 nutrient mitigation scheme and how to apply, email nutrientmitigation@naturalengland.org.uk.