River Eden Catchment Changes
If you have an application in progress in this catchment, please read this page to find out if your application has been affected by this change.
Update to River Eden NN Catchment
Natural England has confirmed significant changes to the River Eden Nutrient Neutrality catchment boundary in Cumbria. This has been changed to reflect monitored improvements to the environmental conditions of the Special Area of Conservation.
Click below to read the letter from Natural England, including the latest catchment boundary map and list of areas which no longer require nutrient neutrality mitigation.
Partnership Response
The Cumbria Nutrient Neutrality partnership consider that this boundary change is a significant step forward for housing and sustainable development in the region. Please read the press release for our full comments.
What does the catchment change mean?
Within significant areas of the River Eden catchment, Nutrient Neutrality advice now no longer applies.
Please read the following, and if you otherwise have questions about the status of your site, contact your planning case officer to find out if your development still needs to comply with Nutrient Neutrality regulations.
If you have a planning application within the River Eden SAC Catchment which connects to non-mains drainage systems within the River Eden SAC catchment, please refer to the map on page 4 of Natural England’s notification letter dated 05/02/2026 (linked above). If your development is outside of the new catchment boundary, you will no longer need to mitigate for nutrient neutrality.
If you have a planning application within the River Eden SAC catchment which connects to any of the Wastewater Treatment Works listed below: you will no longer need to mitigate for nutrient neutrality:
| Aglionby WwTW | Faugh WwTW | Melmerby WwTW |
| Ainstable WwTW | Gilsland WwTW | Motherby WwTW |
| Armathwaite WwTW | Glassonby Village WwTW | Plumpton North WwTW |
| Brampton Carlise WwTW | Great Salkeld WwTW | Plumpton South WwTW |
| Busk WwTW | Greystoke WwTW | Renwick WwTW |
| Calthwaite WwTW | Heads Nook WwTW | Rockcliffe WwTW |
| Cargo WwTW | Hunsonby WwTW | Skelton WwTW |
| Carlise WwTW | Hutton-In-The-Forest STW | Southwaite WwTW |
| Castle Carrock WwTW | Kirkoswald WwTW | Talkin WwTW |
| Cocklakes WwTW | Laithes WwTW | The How WwTW |
| Cote Hill WwTW | Langwathby WwTW | Walton WwTW |
| Croglin WwTW | Laversdale WwTW | Warwick Bridge WwTW |
| Cumwhitton WwTW | Little Blencow WwTW | West Hall WwTW |
| Dalston WwTW | Little Salkeld WwTW | Wetheral & Great Corby WwTW |
| Dalston WwTW | Low Hesket WwTW | Wetheral Pastures WwTW |
| Edenhall WwTW | Low Row WwTW | Wreay WwTW |
Questions
If you have any questions please get in touch with your Local Planning Authority or check out our FAQs page