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Mike Burke

Mike Burke is Programme Director – Sustainable Development

We've enabled thousands of homes in the Tees area - and much more!

A view of some of the saltmarsh wetlands that are part of the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast Special Protection Area (SPA)

The Nutrient Mitigation Scheme (NMS) continues with our sixth nutrient credit round now open in the Tees. To date we have offered credits for over 6,000 new homes in the Tees catchment area and have mitigation ready to meet thousands …

Natural England’s Nutrient Mitigation Scheme expects to enable around 3,700 homes and help nature recovery in Dorset

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Nature-based solutions, Nutrient Neutrality
A view from the edge of pond looking across to the exiting stream that flows down a luscious valley with trees in the distance

In October last year we provided reassurance that Natural England will not only continue to deliver the Nutrient Mitigation Scheme but seek to accelerate and widen it. That hard work has brought us to our next major milestone – launching …

Tools and information to support the delivery of nutrient mitigation published

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Nature-based solutions, Nutrient Neutrality
An example of riparian buffer strips on a watercourse at Thorne Moors, Humberhead Peatlands National Nature Reserve, South Yorkshire

We are pleased to share a couple of products published to support the delivery of nutrient mitigation schemes across the country. These include our improved Nutrient Neutrality Budget Calculators and a page of technical Information on Nature-Based Solutions as Nutrient …

Biodiversity net gain: where to start

Biodiversity net gain (BNG) is an ambitious government strategy to make sure that habitat for wildlife is in a better state than it was before development. We are delighted to celebrate Defra's confirmation that Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for major …

Natural England welcomes Government's commitment to Nutrient Mitigation

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Development, Environment Act, Nature-based solutions, Nutrient Neutrality
A river flowing through the countryside

The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to enabling sustainable development by investing in schemes to reduce nutrient pollution in England’s rivers and estuaries. Read more on GOV.UK. Natural England welcomes the announcement which provides the certainty needed for all providers …

Natural England to publish updated nutrient budget calculators, and Tees Round 4 rescheduled

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Development, Natural England, Nature Recovery Network, Nutrient Neutrality
Image shows a view of the Tees, looking out across the water. There is a grassy bank in the foreground, and buildings and machinery in the distance.

Image: Natural England The government passed the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill into law on 26th October 2023, making it the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act. This creates a legal requirement for certain wastewater treatment works designated by the Defra Secretary of …

Nutrient mitigation scheme continues to unlock new homes and protect our waterways.

Photo of Seal Sands which is part of the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast SPA and RAMSAR site

By Mike Burke, Director of Sustainable Development, Natural England. Government confirmed recently that the Nutrient Mitigation Scheme is still open for business. We hope this is welcome news for developers and Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) as it will provide the …

Preparing the market for statutory biodiversity credits

A view overlooking Iford Biodiversity Project, one of the statutory biodiversity credit pilots

Biodiversity net gain (BNG) is a government strategy to develop land and contribute to the recovery of nature. As set out in part six of the Environment Act 2021, it is a way of making sure the habitat for wildlife …