Mitigation Sites
As a landowner, you could generate additional income while contributing to nature recovery by creating a mitigation site on your land.
If you have land that could support nutrient mitigation, you may be able to contribute to cleaner waterways while supporting local housing and infrastructure needs.
Learn More About Mitigation Sites
What are mitigation sites?
Mitigation sites are areas of land that are used to reduce the amount of phosphorus entering a habitat site.
Under the Nutrient Neutrality scheme, developers are legally required to offset their nutrient outputs in critical catchment areas.
Who can get involved?
We’re always looking for suitable sites to support nutrient mitigation in Cumbria.
If you own land or have an interest in land within an affected catchment, you can put a site forward for consideration. This includes farmers, estate managers, community groups, and other landholders.
We’re always on the lookout for potential sites for consideration.
Where are we looking for mitigation sites?
We’re looking for potential mitigation sites within:
- Esthwaite Water RAMSAR
- River Derwent and Bassenthwaite Lake Special Conservation Area
- River Eden Special Conservation Area
- River Kent Special Conservation Area.
We also offer guidance for those with freestanding mitigation sites to help the process run smoothly.
How does it work?
Mitigation sites are secured by a legal agreement between the landowner and the Local Planning Authority that covers the length of the project.
- Short-term projects will last until 2030 and involve cover crops and land use changes.
- Long-term projects will last for 80 years and include wetlands, riparian buffers and silt traps.
Funding is available to support some projects.
How do I submit a site?
If you have a site that could be suitable for a mitigation project, please contact nutrients@lakedistrict.gov.uk.
You can get in touch without any obligation. Expressing an interest doesn’t commit you to taking any further action or bind you into any legal agreement with the Authority or their partners.
We’ll send you an acknowledgement email or letter and get in touch again if your site is suitable.
About your privacy
By submitting your details, you consent to them being shared with officers from LDNPA, Cumberland Council, Westmorland & Furness Council or Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (depending on where your site is), as well as third-party contractors acting on behalf of the relevant authority for the purposes of the project.
If we’re going to share your information with a third party, we will contact you with their full details.
The information shared will enable the partnership to assess your site’s eligibility for Nutrient Neutrality.
Your data will be stored in the records of the authority involved until it’s no longer relevant to the project.