How new phosphate targets may impact on your development

What action have we taken?

We have written to Welsh Government outlining our concerns about the impact on development and the necessity to find a solution as quickly as possible. We have also taken the following proactive steps:

• We have established a Nutrient Management Board (NMB) for the River Tywi. This board is responsible for producing a Nutrient Management Plan to improve the condition of the river and to facilitate nutrient neutral development to proceed. Further details of this Board, including a webpage displaying live updates will be posted on this page when it becomes available. We have also helped set up the Teifi NMB and the Cleddau NMB.
• We have produced the West Wales Calculator to help developers calculate the level of nutrients their development will generate. In practise, the application of the calculator will span three counties (Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, and Ceredigion) and river catchments (Tywi, Cleddau and Teifi) under the supervision of the newly established NMBs.
• We have produced comprehensive Mitigation Guidance that explains the most effective types of mitigation that could be utilised in Carmarthenshire.
• In recognition of the leadership demonstrated in Carmarthenshire, we were invited to the Phosphate Solutions Summit held in July 2022 by the First Minister at the Royal Welsh Show. In March 2023, the second Phosphate Solutions Summit, again attended by representatives from the Local Authority, further highlighted the need for a River Pollution Action Plan and to develop solutions with haste, the third Phosphate Solutions Summit was held in November 2023.