10th July 2025 ❘

We’ve partnered with Story Homes  to unblock housing supply in Cumbria

We've partnered with Story Homes to unblock housing supply in Cumbria

We’ve partnered with Story Homes  to unblock housing supply in Cumbria…

Our Commercial Property team recently joined forces with Story Homes to find a solution to the debilitating impact requirements for nutrient neutrality has had on residential housing numbers over recent years. The requirements have resulted in significant delays to planning applications, so we have been collaborating with Story Homes to bring forward much-needed housing in the region.

As a result, together we have successfully secured planning approval for a new development phase of 194 new homes at The Fairways in Penrith. The scheme, the first of its kind in Cumbria, secured planning permission with an associated agreement detailing the Government’s Nutrient Neutrality Mitigation Scheme for housing.

Robbie Mather our Partner and Head of Commercial Property said:

“Development in certain parts of Cumbria has stalled and there is a real need to provide all types of housing. We have been working hard to raise concerns regarding the impact of Nutrient Neutrality with local councils.

“I am pleased to have assisted Story Homes getting this site secured and hope this is the first of many – as there is certainly some catching up to do for housing delivery within the county!”

Adam McNally, Senior Land and Planning Manager (Cumbria & SW Scotland) at Story Homes Ltd said:

“Burnetts provided an attentive on-point service in the resolution of our site’s highly complex planning legal agreements, which were a first of their kind for volume housebuilding involving cross local authority legal coordination. Special thanks to Robbie for getting this over the line and enabling our start on site!”

Nutrient neutrality requires that new housing developments in certain areas should not add more ‘nutrient pollution’ to the water catchment. It applies only to new housing developments in areas with protected habitats sites that are already in ‘unfavourable condition’ (due to nutrient pollution).

A development achieves nutrient neutrality when the nutrient load created through additional wastewater (including surface water) from the development is mitigated. By designing development alongside suitable mitigation measures, additional nutrient loads can often be avoided or mitigated. This approach is called ‘nutrient neutrality’. It essentially allows developments to be permitted without impacting on the condition of protected sites.

To find out more about our Commercial Property team and its services please click here.