To approve the design, land acquisition, construction and management of integrated wetlands, providing tertiary treatment to waste water treatment works in order to reduce phosphate levels within the River Lugg catchment area.

That:

(a)       That the approved £2m allocation in the Council’s 2020/21 capital programme from the New Homes Bonus is authorised for the land purchase, design, construction and management of the integrated wetlands as set out in this report;

(b)       Subject to the identification of suitable sites for development as integrated wetlands, the Assistant Director for Regulation, Environment & Waste in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Infrastructure & Transport and Section 151 Officer,  is authorised to undertake land purchasing and lease negotiations with land owners for acquisition of up to 8 sites;

(c)       Subject to a successful funding decision, that up to £1m of match funding from the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership and the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government is accepted;  

(d)       Up to £30,000 of the approved capital programme is made available to commission the development of an interim delivery plan. This plan will include a phosphate calculator and a suite of recommended mitigation measures appropriate to the River Lugg in order to enable developers to calculate, mitigate and/or offset the identified phosphate load from development proposals;

(e)       Subject to the identification of existing agricultural land suitable for repurposing, the Assistant Director for Regulation, Environment & Waste in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Infrastructure & Transport and Section 151 Officer, is authorised to undertake land purchasing and lease negotiations with land owners as a complimentary solution for reducing phosphate pollution in the River Lugg catchment area;

(f)        The Assistant Director for Regulation, Environment & Waste be authorised to take all operational decisions necessary to implement the scheme including the required land acquisitions and leases.

1.         Option 1 - To do nothing.

·         This would result in phosphate levels remaining in exceedance of conservation targets within the River Lugg catchment area and a moratorium upon development within the River Lugg catchment area in the north of the county.

2.         Option 2 - To consider alternative mitigating measures such as the retrofitting of Sustainable Urban Drainage (SUDs) schemes or additional technology introduced to waste water treatment works.

·         These alternative measures have been considered by the Nutrient Management Board, but are considered to be significant works which require substantial investment and long term planning. All parties agree these measures are less likely to provide the ‘quick win’ that would be achieved through the development of integrated wetlands.

3.         Option 3 – To consider the acquisition and repurposing of existing agricultural land in the river catchment.

·         This option would help to reduce diffuse pollution into the river catchment area and is proposed as a complimentary option which should be further explored as appropriate land becomes available for purchase.