It is looking increasingly likely that the whole of Wales will be designated as a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ). Lesley Griffiths, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs has said she is ‘minded to introduce a whole Wales approach to tackling nitrate pollution from agriculture‘. However, it is unclear what the new rules will be under the new designation and whether they will be as stringent as they currently are in the areas of Wales (and England) already designated as NVZs. The Welsh Government has said over the coming months it will ‘work with stakeholders to get the right balance of regulatory measures, voluntary initiatives and investment’. It has also said that it will explore options to provide flexibility, where the outcomes achieved are the same or better than via a regulatory approach.
The announcement comes following the Welsh Government’s consultation last year on the ‘Review of the Designated Areas and Action Programme to Tackle Nitrate Pollution in Wales’. Just under 60% of responses supported a whole-Wales designation. A summary of responses will be available in the New Year.
