The Nutrient Neutrality zone in the Hampshire Avon catchment covers the River Avon Special Area of Conservation. This region includes the following Local Planning Authorities (LPAs):
The area boundary stretches from where the river meets the sea just east of Bournemouth, north north west up to just north of Sixpenny Handley. It then travels due west to Shaftesbury before turning north to West Knoyle. It then travels west to Hardway before turning north east under Trowbridge and under Devizes (so both are excluded) to just north of Devizes. It then travels due west to Burbage. It then drops due south back to the river mouth near Bournemouth. In this drop the boundary passes just to the east of Salisbury to include it within the catchment.
The Hampshire Avon catchment is impacted by both nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P).
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The mitigation market in the catchment is weak due to very limited supply of both nitrogen and phosphate credits. Credit prices being paid are high on a per house basis. Typically these are in the region of £6,000 to £10,000 per house.
The area has a variety of levels of nutrient stripping technology at the waterworks with ranges of 0.1kg to 0.89kg required per house. This creates significant opportunities for landowners looking at mitigation schemes.
We forecast demand outstripping supply for at least the next 24 months despite new schemes coming online (see below)
18 of the 75 water treatment works in the impacted catchments are due to be upgraded during the next upgrade cycle (AMP7) due to finish in 2030.
As per our research into water treatment upgrades, we do not believe that it is likely that the water companies will be able to deliver all the upgrades in this cycle.
Natural England Strategic Nutrient Mitigation Scheme
Natural England are planning to build a nutrient mitigation scheme in the Hampshire Avon, however this has been delayed. The scheme is likely to be wetland based and deliver nutrient credits.
Hampshire Avon LPAs Nutrient Mitigation Scheme
Some LPAs are also looking at a market based approach to mitigation. The mechanisms they are looking at are designed to reduce the costs for smaller developments as well as increase the likelihood of smaller developments acquiring mitigation.
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