More than 100 development schemes in Pembrokeshire, amounting to more than 2,300 homes, are in limbo due to the ongoing Nitrogen Neutrality guidelines from Natural Resources Wales, councillors heard.
At the June meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s services overview and scrutiny committee, members received an update on the ongoing issue of Nitrogen Neutrality which has led to delays in many housing schemes in the county since its introduction last June.
The area which development is required to demonstrate nitrogen neutrality is approximately 75 per cent of the county, including Haverfordwest, Narberth, Pembroke and Pembroke Dock.
The report, presented by Cabinet Member for Planning and Highways Cllr Jacob Williams, focussed on the implications of Natural Resources Wales’ (NRWs) Nutrient Neutrality requirements in respect of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) for development within the Milford Haven Inner waterbody catchment of the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and the measures being taken by the council at a local level to address this issue as well as the council’s contribution to regional and national initiatives.
The report said that, as of May, there were 21 planning applications which were in the system before the introduction of nitrogen neutrality requirements (June 2025) which are now caught and which remain undetermined, along with a further 66 undetermined since that date, and a further 15 applications which are caught by nitrates requirements, but which have not yet reached eight-week determination date.
It said the 102 developments caught by the nitrates issue amounted to some 35 per cent of the total undetermined applications; that figure even higher when determined (refused) schemes were taken into account.
Cllr Williams, who last year with the backing of full council, wrote a letter to the First Minister, conveying the authority’s “great concern over Natural Resources Wales’ recent river nitrates guidance in relation to development, and the serious effects this is having,” said that amounted to 2,376 of 6,741 potential housing units, adding that “Pembrokeshire County Council cannot approve development which is unable to demonstrate Nitrogen Neutrality”.
Last October, Cabinet endorsed an action plan to address the nitrates issue for affected development within its planning area, the early stages already delivered, with a final report due for Cabinet consideration this September in order to determine how mitigation opportunities identified might be taken forward.
Members backed a recommendation to note the action plan progress ahead of the report to Cabinet.
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