HUNDREDS of thousands of pounds has been approved by BCP Council in its latest project to offset pollution related to new development.

On Wednesday, its cabinet approved more than £560,000 for a five-year strategy to mitigate damage being done to heathland in the area.

It comes in the wake of objections to planning applications from Natural England due to concerns about their impact on protected areas.

Planning authorities were ruled as being responsible for the impact of nitrogen and ammonia on designated sites by the High Court in 2017.

Since then, Natural England has objected to developments at Bournemouth Airport and major housing schemes north of Poole on the grounds that they would damage heathland.

To meet its obligations, a strategy is being produced in conjunction with Dorset Council looking at ways to reduce pollution.

On Wednesday, BCP Council cabinet members approved a £562,500 budget made up from developer contributions for an initial five years of work. Dorset Council is due to top up the sum to a total of £750,000.

It comes a month after councillors also agreed to set aside £2.7 million for mitigation of developments’ nitrate pollution on Poole Harbour.

“We see that are problems developing around our natural environment and our heathlands and we’ve got to do something about it,” cabinet member for planning, councillor Phil Broadhead said at Wednesday's meeting. “We’ve got to build new homes but we also need to look after our environment at the same time.

“To try and address this issue we will launch a joint strategy with Dorset Council – it’s not a long-term solution but it’s the start of a range of projects to mitigate it.”

Included in the plan will be work to manage roads closest to designated heathland, including through lowering speed limits; reducing the number of people travelling by car; and converting agricultural land back to heathland.

Cllr Broadhead added the plan was more short-term focussed due to the hope better ideas for reducing pollution, including already increasing electric car use, may come forward in the next few years

The project, including its budget, was unanimously supported by the cabinet on Wednesday.