Cumbria Catchments Nutrient Mitigation Solutions

In response to Nutrient Neutrality advice issued by Natural England 16 March 2022 we are seeking to appoint a consultant to prepare one Nutrient Mitigation Solutions Report covering four catchments - the River Eden SAC, River Derwent and Bassenthwaite Lake SAC, River Kent SAC and Esthwaite Water RAMSAR.

The Mitigation Solutions Report will:

• identify the development aspirations of local authorities within the affected catchments, including allocated and windfall developments, based on information including local plan targets and policies, as well as evidence of previous development delivery and current trajectory
• establish a robust understanding of phosphates in the affected catchments.
• identify and analyse existing nutrient processes, including phosphate sources, amounts, locations and movements, and their effect on habitats site condition
• use the baseline understanding of the existing and, as the case may be future, nutrient position in the catchments to inform and guide solutions options and meet the information quality standards expected by Habitats Regulations Assessment
• identify solutions which can deliver nutrient neutrality to meet identified development aspirations, including the type, amount and location of solutions that can achieve this objective, and indicative costs for different solution types and any associated credits
• identify solutions which are sufficient not just to deliver nutrient neutrality, but also which are sufficient to restore the habitats sites to favourable condition allowing nutrient neutrality requirements to be dispensed with, including the type, amount and location of solutions that can achieve this objective, and indicative costs for different solution types and any associated credits

Budget: Up to £70,000

Tender submission deadline: 0900, Monday 7 November 2022