With more than 17 years experience, Nicholls specialises in the installation of water boreholes and rainwater harvesting systems in the southeastern region.
Our team collaborates with developers in the Sussex North Water Resource Zone (SNWRZ) to help them achieve water neutrality solutions and expedite their projects.
We provide fully managed turnkey sustainability solutions.
with Ben Nicholls
Managing Director
All About Nicholls Water Credits
What is one of your key values at Nicholls?
Customer service is our top priority at Nicholls.
We aim to deliver a comprehensive and professional service to our customers, managing all aspects of their water credits solution. This includes handling their initial inquiry, understanding their needs, and ultimately arriving at a resolution.
What if I am a landowner?
Our team will evaluate your site's geological and geographical features to determine the most effective solution for reducing your reliance on mains water and generating water credits. We can then manage the design, supply, and installation of the appropriate water-saving system.
These water credits can be sold to developers or individuals interested in building in the SNWRZ (Sussex North Water Resource Zone).
Why choose Nicholls Water Credits for my water offsetting solutions?
Nicholls Water Credits offers a water offsetting solution that provides a private water supply and significant savings on annual water bills.
Additionally, these systems reduce carbon emissions related to water treatment and transfer, increase property value, and come with the assurance of over 17 years of experience in the water industry.
What is Nicholls Water Credits scheme?
This scheme is a fully managed approach that offers turnkey sustainability solutions for water mitigation issues.
Whether you are a landowner or developer, we operate the same system. Our goal is to reduce the impact of any development on the mains water supply. This is in line with local government policy on water neutrality.
What if I am a developer?
Our approach involves working closely with developers to comprehend their water supply needs, calculate the required water credits, and identify an appropriate landowner to collaborate with for efficient planning.
This innovative solution can help move forward a planning application that has been delayed or denied due to water mitigation issues in the Sussex North Water Resource Zone.
What benfits do I get from working with Nicholls Water Credits?
Our team of Water Credits specialists is dedicated and highly experienced in the private water supply, planning, development, and construction industries.
We possess significant expertise in contractual and project management, enabling us to offer comprehensive turnkey solutions to landowners seeking water savings and developers striving to meet Natural England's water neutrality standards.
Currently, we have contracts with more than 20 developers.
Our team has been involved in the water credits industry since 2022.
We have successfully obtained multiple planning permissions from Horsham and Chichester Local Planning Authorities.
We collaborate with the Environment Agency and the local Environmental Health Office to ensure sustainable water supplies through the Sussex North Water Resource Zone.
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Water credits are an excellent solution to urgent planning deadlines
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Today there are increased objections to planning applications
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Water neutrality issues increase due to increased abstraction and risk deterioration to water bodies
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Planning objections increase accordingly
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Water neutrality is a water sustainability issue affecting all development in the Sussex North Water Resource Zone. (SNWRZ). Where an onsite borehole is not feasible either due to time pressures, site constraints or site hydrogeology, we can provide a Water Credit solution.
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Just like carbon credits, water credits can be used to offset a development’s future water demand by offsetting water through an equivalent water saving on third party land.
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A user may sell any unwanted or unused credits to another user that needs them. This incentivizes reducing water contaminants from the environment, while also maximizing the utilization of water used in each process.
MY STORY
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Natural England is the government’s adviser for the natural environment.
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In 2024-2025 Natural England is prioritizing an Environmental Improvement Plan.
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West Sussex County Council now demands that any new developments within certain zones in the Arun Valley must be water-neutral.
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This means that developers or organisations wishing to submit a planning application within this area are required to supply a water neutrality statement with their planning application.
Water neutrality is a water sustainability issue affecting all development in the Sussex North Water Resource Zone. (SNWRZ). Where an onsite borehole is not feasible either due to time pressures, site constraints or site hydrogeology, we can provide a Water Credit solution.Just like carbon credits, water credits can be used to offset a development’s future water demand by offsetting water through an equivalent water saving on third party land. Nicholls have developed a robust and legally secure water credit scheme in close collaboration with LPAs, legal experts, developers and third-party landowners.Offsetting using Water Credits provides an off-the-shelf solution to quickly get planning moving and with no ongoing obligations on either the developer or the house purchaser. Within a couple of days, a planning application held up by water neutrality could be moving again. If you are at the land acquisition stage water credits may provide the surety you need in negotiating land value.If you are either a developer, large or small, and stuck in the planning process or preparing an application or land acquisition, please get in touch.If you are a landowner or business with an average daily consumption of 4m³ or more, we’d love to hear from you. We have the right knowledge and contractual arrangements to ensure you maximise the value of what is now a valuable asset.Landowners and businesses joining our water credit scheme benefit from ongoing operational savings, a capital injection and improved sustainability.
Nicholls’ are dedicated to protactively promote sustainable water management and ensure equitable access to water resources for all.
SUSTAINABILITY AT NICHOLLS
At Nicholls Licensing & Consulting we actively promote and encourage sustainability with regards to reducing carbon emissions and work with our clients and often with the EA to support water abstraction in a sustainable way. Where an onsite borehole is not feasible either due to time pressures, site constraints or site hydrogeology, we can provide a Water Credit solution. Read more about this solution, below.
Our rural premises are carbon neutral – this has been achieved with the installation of solar panels, a wind turbine and a Ground Source Heat Pump system providing all the heating and hot water for our offices. Additionally, we have installed a water borehole at our site to help reduce our impact on the mains water supply and save costs.
Nicholls promote Ground Source Heat Pump and Water Source Heat Pump systems as they can be some of the most efficient carbon saving solutions.
Today freshwater is a finite resource and it now evident that water shortage is a global problem.
The uneven distribution of this invaluable resource makes it difficult for decision-makers to create concrete environmental management strategies to sustain it both physically and economically.
This means that conservation is crucial to ensure sustainable water use for future generations.
Governments have been forced to react and new policies have a huge impact on planning applications in zones where water neutrality is a planing pre-requisit.
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Water neutrality ensures that there is sufficient water to satisfy everybody and the environment without using all the water that's available or burdening the ecosystems.
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This ensures that the total volume of water used or taken from a specific water source is not greater than what the area can naturally replenish or support over time. This means that the additional water demand from a new development is zero.
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Similar to carbon neutrality, where carbon emissions are offset through various means like reforestation or renewable energy projects, water neutrality seeks to achieve a balance between water consumption and conservation efforts.
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The idea behind water neutrality is to encourage individuals, businesses, and organizations to take responsibility for their water usage by implementing water-saving technologies, conservation practices, or investing in water restoration projects.
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This helps mitigate the impact of water scarcity, promote sustainable water management, and ensure equitable access to water resources for all.
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Water neutrality represents a proactive approach toward addressing water scarcity and promoting sustainable water management practices on a local, regional, and global scale.
“For every new development, total water use in the Sussex North Water Supply Zone after the development must be equal to or less than the total water-use in the region before the new development.”
‘New development’ is considered to be any relevant project requiring a public water supply from Southern Water’s Sussex North Water Supply Zone
“For every new development, total water use in the Sussex North Water Supply Zone after the development must be equal to or less than the total water-use in the region before the new development.”
‘New development’ is considered to be any relevant project requiring a public water supply from Southern Water’s Sussex North Water Supply Zone