Guidance

Nitrate vulnerable zone designations and appeals 2021 to 2024

Find out if your land is in a nitrate vulnerable zone (NVZ) and how to appeal.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Environment Agency
• Published: 17 September 2021

Applies to England

Check if your land is in an NVZ

Use the interactive map to find out if your land is in an NVZ.

Your farm may be completely or partly in an NVZ. NVZ boundaries are drawn around whole fields, so there are no fields that are only partly in an NVZ.

Restrictions apply to each field that’s in an NVZ.

Call the Environment Agency on 03000 203791 if you have difficulty checking online or need a printed map.

How to appeal

You will get a decision notice informing you that your land is in an NVZ. Defra will send these from September to November 2021. You can appeal against this decision within 28 days of the date on the letter.

You have grounds to appeal if your land (or part of it):

• does not drain into water that has been identified as polluted
• drains into water that should not be identified as polluted

To appeal:

• read the guidance about how to make an NVZ appeal
• complete the notice of appeal form
• send it to the First-tier Tribunal

Published 17 September 2021