Purple areas are parts of NVZs which have previously been identified as candidates for de-designation in the next review of NVZs – a map of such areas can be found here
The NFU successfully argued for a 12 month delay in the date by which any additional slurry storage required to satisfy the NVZ regulations must be provided in the purple areas, from 1st Jan 2012 to 1st Jan 2013, so that any farmers in purple areas which are released from NVZ designation in 2013 (when the current NVZ review takes effect) will not need to install the additional slurry storage.
However, those farmers in purple areas which are retained as NVZs in 2013 will need to have sufficient prior warning to carry out any necessary construction.
Defra had previously indicated that it would make its proposals known by the end of June 2011, but this date has now slipped by 3 months to early October. This is when a public consultation on the next round of NVZs is due to be launched. Final decisions will not be taken by Defra until after the consultation in spring 2012, after which there is expected to be an opportunity for evidence-based appeals to an independent body.
A further issue for purple area farmers to take into account is that the Annual Investment Allowance will fall from £100,000 to £25,000 in April 2012.
The way in which this affects individual businesses is not straightforward, being influenced by the timing of the accounting year, profitability, other investments in the year etc, and professional advice should therefore be taken.
No comments have been made.