The Newsham Beck Nutrient Mitigation Scheme offers a powerful, landscape-based solution for developers navigating nitrogen neutrality requirements in the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast catchment. Created by Greenshank Environmental in partnership with GR Herbert & Sons, the scheme transforms an intensively managed stretch of Newsham Beck into a nature-positive asset that restores ecological function while unlocking new residential development.

At the heart of the scheme is a reimagined watercourse: a carefully engineered, two-stage channel that mimics natural stream dynamics. Vegetated floodplain benches and low-grade weirs will slow flows, promote nutrient retention, and foster microbial and plant-driven nitrogen cycling. Together, these features will remove a significant portion of nitrogen from the catchment nutrient pollution that would otherwise jeopardise the health of protected coastal habitats.

This design adheres to the Enhanced Drainage Ditch Management Framework, a method co-developed by Greenshank for Natural England. It ensures reliable, evidence-backed reductions in agricultural nitrogen runoff, all within a compact 0.8-hectare footprint on low-value, waterlogged land.

Beyond its mitigation value, the scheme delivers substantial co-benefits:

  • Flood resilience, by enhancing water storage and slowing runoff
  • Habitat creation, boosting biodiversity across plants, insects, and aquatic life
  • Carbon capture, through native planting and restored soils
  • Water security, by supporting low flows in drought conditions

The scheme is legally secured for 80+ years, with an adaptive management and monitoring plan to safeguard its long-term effectiveness.

Get in Touch
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Scheme Type:

Status: 

Towns served

  • Middlesbrough
  • Stockton-on-Tees
  • Darlington
  • Hartlepool
  • Redcar
  • Billingham
  • Yarm
  • Thornaby-on-Tees
  • Eaglescliffe
  • Saltburn-by-the-Sea
  • Guisborough
  • Norton
  • Great Ayton
  • Marske-by-the-Sea
  • Skelton
  • Loftus
  • Sedgefield
  • Newton Aycliffe
  • Shildon
  • Barnard Castle
  • Stokesley
  • Northallerton

Other schemes

Nutrient Neutrality

BNG Habitat Banks

icon

Trusted by