New housebuilding held again by speedy rise of manufacturing unit farms that pollute rivers, examine finds | EUROtoday

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The speedy unfold of manufacturing unit farms and the air pollution they trigger are being blamed for housebuilding being stalled throughout the UK.

Many of the areas the place waterways are too spoilt for brand spanking new constructing to be permitted correspond with manufacturing unit farming sizzling spots, evaluation has found.

And a brand new map permits homeowners to see at a look how badly affected their space is by waste and run-off from industrial agriculture.

It’s the primary time a map has been created revealing the place essentially the most animal manure is produced and the place it’s unfold, indicating the river catchments most in danger from agricultural air pollution.

The interactive ‘Muck Map’ of the UK, based mostly on modelling, reveals that the Severn, Great Ouse, Ouse (in Yorkshire), Trent, Norfolk Rivers Group and the Wye high the record of river catchments more than likely to be hit.

Intensive farming is the primary reason behind river air pollution emergencies in England, however nationwide planning guidelines enable manufacturing unit farms to be constructed even in areas already polluted.

In 2019, authorities physique Natural England instructed 74 native planning authorities with polluted rivers that they could not grant permission for brand spanking new properties except they had been “nutrient neutral” – the place constructing wouldn’t add extra dangerous chemical compounds to rivers and streams.

The Home Builders Federation estimates that the coverage blocked the constructing of greater than 160,000 properties, saying occupants of latest properties contribute lower than 1 per cent of nutrient air pollution, which additionally kills wildlife that birds feed on.

A brand new report analyzing ranges of manure and slurry throughout the UK from intensively farmed animals says housebuilding has been held again in areas the place the air pollution disaster is worst, hitting the federal government’s capability to fulfill its goal to construct 1.5 million new properties.

The examine, by Compassion in World Farming, Friends of the Earth and Sustain, additionally discovered that UK pig and poultry manufacturing unit farms produce as much as 33,450 tonnes of manure day by day – the identical weight as 2,788 empty double-decker buses.

The Labour authorities has signalled it needs to vary planning guidelines to unblock obstacles to constructing 1000’s of properties, a transfer welcomed by Natural England.

Numbers of UK manufacturing unit farms rose by 12 per cent from 2016 to final 12 months, in response to CiWF.

Plans for 2 US-style industrial megafarms in East Anglia – which might be among the many largest megafarms in Europe – are as a consequence of be determined subsequent 12 months.

Residents, backed by the marketing campaign organisations, say manufacturing unit farms are already overwhelming communities with air pollution, noise, scent and poisonous air.

The Commons Environmental Audit Committee says agricultural waste, which accounts for 70 per cent of nitrate air pollution, is the commonest impediment to rivers attaining good ecological standing.

England’s planning guidelines are at the moment below assessment, and the organisations behind the ‘Muck Map’ say stronger and clearer guidelines are wanted to guard rivers and wildlife.

Soil in some areas has greater than double the nitrates they will soak up dumped on them, the activists say.

Anthony Field, head of CiWF UK, stated: “The spread of slurry from factory farms in England has contributed to every region being polluted with nitrogen. It’s so bad in some places that protected areas are being damaged and this pollution must be offset to allow house building to go ahead.

“Failure to act will have a severe impact on the climate and nature crises.”

Clare Oxborrow, of Friends Of The Earth, stated: “Factory farms are silently taking over the UK’s countryside, driven by powerful agribusinesses chasing profit at all costs.

“Not only are these companies polluting our precious rivers and wildlife, they are driving devastation to habitats and livelihoods in South America, where the diverse Cerrado ecosystem is being razed to produce soy to feed pigs and chickens in the UK and around the world.”

Ruth Westcott, of Sustain, stated: “Local councils and communities are desperate to protect their rivers but they are facing a wave of applications for large and dangerously polluting units.”

The Independent has requested the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to remark.