Nutrient Management in Planning and Development

In this section

Nutrient Management Boards

Carmarthenshire County Council is a founding partner in the West Wales Nutrient Management Boards (NMBs), which were established to coordinate the regional response to nutrient pollution in the Teifi, Tywi, and Cleddau Special Areas of Conservation (SACs).

Each Board brings together local authorities, Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, farming representatives, national parks, and other key stakeholders. The aim is to support river recovery, sustainable development, and delivery of nutrient neutrality or betterment through the planning system.

What the Boards Do

The Nutrient Management Boards are responsible for:

  • Developing and maintaining Nutrient Management Plans (NMPs) for each catchment
  • Identifying and prioritising mitigation opportunities
  • Coordinating data collection, monitoring, and evidence reviews
  • Supporting local planning authorities in meeting SAC compliance requirements
  • Facilitating strategic collaboration across sectors and administrative boundaries

Technical Advisory Groups

The NMBs are supported by Technical Advisory Groups (TAG), which draw on expertise from across relevant sectors. The TAGs include three dedicated working groups:

  •   Agriculture – focused on land use, nutrient management, and farm scale mitigation
  •   Monitoring – supporting catchment wide water quality monitoring and data integration
  •   Citizen Science – enabling and coordinating volunteer led monitoring and local engagement

These groups ensure that the Boards' decisions are evidence based, practically deliverable, and locally informed.

GIS Dashboard

The NMBs maintain a live, interactive GIS portal that maps nutrient pressures, mitigation opportunities, and priority areas across the region. This tool supports planning decisions, investment targeting, and transparent progress tracking.

To view the dashboard and find out more about the Boards, visit:
www.wwnmb.wales 

Get Involved

To enquire about involvement in a Technical Advisory Group or the regional River Stakeholder Group, please contact:

crichards@carmarthenshire.gov.uk – NMB Support Officer