A HAMPSHIRE council is to take a number of measures to cut pollution which halted house building.

Earlier this year councils including Portsmouth, Fareham, Havant and Gosport had to put developments on hold after nitrogen from housing wastewater and agricultural sources accelerated the growth of algae.

It came as it was revealed that the algae is damaging protected wildlife habitats and bird species around The Solent.

But while long-term plans are being discussed, civic chiefs in Fareham have a agreed to develop a number of interim solutions.

According to a document published ahead of the meeting of Fareham Borough Council's Executive held on Monday, the interim measures could include wetlands which would be created by using developer contribution.

Additional land could be brought into the Regional Habitat Creation Scheme to create additional coastal habitats and offset development in the borough, the document reads.

Developer contributions could also be used to fund a Catchment Sensitive Farming Advice scheme whereby advisors would work with agricultural landowners on ways to minimise nitrogen input to their land.

The borough council said the interim solution is a way for the authority to help bring forward some housing in the short term while a longer-term solution is being worked on.

Cllr Seán Woodward, executive leader of Fareham Borough Council, said: “Whilst our number one priority is of course to protect The Solent, the nitrates issue continues to be a real challenge. One side of Government is telling us that any new housing will be damaging to the environment whilst another is demanding delivery of thousands of new homes.”

The council is to develop a series of measures designed to reduce nitrates sufficiently to offset the scale of development, both for a number of current planning applications and the emerging Local Plan.

The authority also said that it has a duty to deliver houses and will issue permissions with conditions that any new home built cannot be occupied until appropriate mitigation has been agreed.