Somerset Levels and Moors Phosphate Mitigation Solutions (February 2022)

The former Councils appointed consultants in May 2021 to provide technical support and develop mitigation solutions. This was done following the Natural England letter to respond to the phosphate issue affecting the Somerset Levels and Moors Ramsar site.

The purpose of the commission was to investigate a range of matters. These included the review of the geographical extent of the catchment area in Somerset, to make improvements to the phosphate calculator.

Nutrient neutrality requirements are complex. Any mitigation approach that a developer takes should be specific to the waterways they are most likely to affect. The Somerset Levels and Moors is connected to 3 river catchment areas: The River Tone, Parrett and Brue. Developers must make sure that their phosphate offsetting efforts occur within the same river catchment as their developments. As such another aim of this commission was to provide information on potential mitigation options that could be delivered within the specific affected river catchments of the Rivers Tone, Parrett and Brue.

The Solutions Report can be used by developers to explore potential phosphate mitigation options for new development.

• The solutions report
• Somerset levels: Catchment areas Map
• River Tone catchment
• The Parrett catchment
• The Brue catchment

We will update this page with further information as soon as we are able, and will be regularly updating this webpage to keep you informed of progress.