A partnership comprising Cumberland Council, the Lake District National Park Authority, Westmorland and Furness Council and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority are working together to try and address the issue of nutrient neutrality across Cumbria. We have launched the Enhance your Tank scheme to help deliver mitigation solutions to unlock homes affected by nutrient neutrality.
12th September 2024 update: The deadline for submitting Expression of Interest forms for the Enhance your Tank scheme has been extended to Friday 14th December 2024.
17th September 2024 update: Guidance has been received from Natural England regarding small scale discharges to ground. Existing septic tanks and package treatment plants that meet the General Binding Rules for small scale discharges to ground can be accepted onto the scheme and used for mitigation if they meet any one of the following:
Current small scale discharges via a PTP to surface water are already discharging nutrients directly into a watercourse and therefore there are no criteria to meet for them to be eligible for an upgrade. However if a septic tank is discharging to surface water this legally should have been upgraded by 2020 and therefore will only be able to generate credits over and above a standard legal PTP level of discharge.
If you are unsure whether your system meets the criteria, you may wish to submit an Expression of Interest and we will work with you to identify whether it does (depending on the availability of funding and the location of the site).
Nutrient Neutrality (NN) was introduced into Cumbria in March 2022. Its purpose is to offset the impacts of new development which can increase the levels of nutrients entering watercourses through surface and foul water. Excess nutrients can cause water pollution which leads to algal growth and eutrophication in our lakes, rivers and streams. This has negative effects on the species living within them.
Nutrient Neutrality restrictions are in place in areas where Habitat Sites are in an unfavourable condition due to nutrient pollution. The following Habitat Sites are in an unfavourable condition due to phosphorus:
Developers are required to identify mitigation within the affected catchment area to offset any impacts before their planning application can be approved. Solution need to be upstream of the point where the development discharges into the waterbody.
A significant number of new homes, including affordable housing, are currently held up in the planning system while solutions are being found.
A Partnership has been set up to help identify potential solutions and address the issue; members include Cumberland Council, Lake District National Park and Westmorland and Furness Council amongst others. Identifying solutions will help developers deliver much needed homes across Cumbria.
Septic tank and PTP owners are able to submit details of their septic tanks/PTP through an Expression of Interest form. Once an estimate of how much phosphorus could be saved through replacing the system has been made the Partnership will then:
and/or
Where the existing system doesn't meet current standards, the baseline figure used in the nutrient calculators will be used when calculating the potential P savings which could be made.
The number of systems that can be replaced and the timescales for replacement is dependent on the amount of funding available to the Partnership at the time. Replacements which will generate the highest P savings to unlock the most homes will be prioritised.
Can Small Scale Discharges be considered?
Where the discharge from the existing septic tank/PTP meets the definition of a small scale discharge it may still be considered for replacement through this scheme. Please see the latest update on the top of this page.
Small scale discharges are those which:
Discharge to the ground - systems that discharge 2 cubic metres or less per day General Binding Rules: Small sewerage discharge to the ground
Discharge to a surface water - systems that discharge 5 cubic metres or less per day General Binding Rules: Small sewerage discharge to surface water
The following simple calculator can be used to find out discharge rates from septic tanks and PTPs linked to domestic properties: Discharge Calculator
How do I get involved?
What happens next?
What if I need assistance completing the form?