Further housing development has been halted due to pollution fears. Natural England has told councils covering a significant part of Norfolk they cannot grant planning permission for schemes involving "overnight accommodation" until solutions have been found to prevent resulting nutrients, in particular nitrates and phosphates, from entering water courses.
Green councillor Jan Davis commented action on this complex issue is well overdue. Natural England has taken this action because nitrogen and phosphate nutrients can cause excessive growth of algae, resulting in algal blooms, which reduces oxygen in the water and the ability of aquatic species to survive.
