Half a million pounds will be ploughed into a bid to solve a problem on the river Teifi that has led to planning applications being put on hold amid ecologists concerns over pollution.

Earlier this year, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) set new targets after raising concerns about the high levels of phosphates in the Teifi.

NRW told Ceredigion County Council that, “in light of the unfavourable condition of the Teifi SAC”, it must take into account the “rise to additional phosphates” when considering planning applications in the area.

The changes left 45 applications for 47 new homes in the county in limbo, with plans having to be refused without further assessments.

A cabinet meeting heard last week that the new targets impacts on 44.6 per cent of Ceredigion land area.

In a boost to tackle the problem, the Afon Teifi SAC Catchment Phosphate Reduction and Mitigation Project (PRAM Project) has been handed £500,000 from the Welsh Government Nature Networks Fund to “directly improve the condition of this Special Area of Conservation through reducing phosphate inputs, improving water quality and reversing decline in nature.”

The Nature Networks Fund is also making available £497,457 to the reconnecting the salmon rivers of Wales project by Swansea University which includes work on five rivers in the country, including the Teifi to “halt the decline of salmon and other migratory fish in Wales.”