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Stubbington nutrient bank
This scheme supplies nitrogen credits to developments that drain to the Solent (East Hampshire Rivers) catchment. We own the land freehold and the mitigation is secured in perpetuity.
Exact location shared on enquiry.
- Mitigation
- Nitrogen credits
- Catchment
- Solent (East Hampshire Rivers)
- Developments supplied
- 3
- Protection
- In perpetuity
About the scheme
A single arable field off Burnt House Lane on the north-eastern edge of Stubbington, farmed for cereals for at least ten years. After heavy rain the fertiliser washed into the River Alver and River Meon, adding to the nitrogen that is damaging the Solent’s protected harbours and estuaries.
Turning the field from arable to permanent grassland stops that load. The reduction was calculated with the Solent nutrient budget calculator and is sold as nitrogen credits to developments draining to the Solent. The same field is our Stubbington Brent Goose Reserve and part of our Fareham habitat bank, so it does three jobs at once.
The nutrient mitigation is secured in perpetuity, funded by an endowment, with soil nitrogen and phosphorus tested every five years and the results reported to Natural England and Fareham Borough Council.
How the mitigation works
- Arable reversion
- A 12.8 hectare cereal field taken out of production, with no fertiliser used from now on.
- Permanent grassland
- A rye-grass sward for wintering brent geese, cut in the growing season with no crops taken.
- Two water bodies
- The field drains partly to the River Alver and partly to the River Meon, both of which reach the Solent.
Catchment
Nutrient credits can only offset development in the same catchment. The shaded area is the Natural England nutrient neutrality catchment for the Solent; other nutrient neutrality catchments are in lighter green. The dot shows the general location of the scheme.
Which developments it can serve
Credits only offset development that drains to the same protected site, so this scheme serves developments in the Solent (East Hampshire Rivers) catchment. Send us the site location and a nutrient budget, or we will calculate one, and we’ll confirm the same day.
Who stands behind the obligation
- The land
- We own the land freehold, with no lease and no third-party landowner.
- The covenant
- A conservation covenant or planning obligation protecting each site in perpetuity, registered against the title.
- Responsible Body
- An independent Responsible Body or the local authority can step in if we ever fail to deliver.
- The endowment
- Long-term management is funded by an endowment set aside at allocation.
- Financial strength
- We have £56.5m of capital for land and habitat, and are rated Very Low Risk with an international credit score of A. That capital lets us buy land and create habitat before your programme needs it, and fund its management for the long term.
Check availability at Stubbington nutrient bank
Send us the site location and a nutrient budget, and we’ll send back a quote.