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Phosphate levels in a river in Cornwall are being monitored after recent high readings, Cornwall Council says.

The authority said it was using a chemical calculator to measure and monitor levels in the River Camel after an alert by Natural England.

The move has resulted in all planning and development proposals in the area being put on hold, the council said. 

The main source of phosphates was agriculture, with some coming via sewage from homes and other developments that generated waste water, it added. 

The River Camel is part of a Special Area of Conservation.

High levels of phosphates in land can encourage weeds and choke rivers.

The council said it was notified by Natural England "that the area was at risk from adverse effects due to excessive phosphates and that further development could exacerbate this unless mitigation measures were put in place".

It said the pause in planning work in the area had primarily impacted housing applications.

But some commercial and agricultural development had also been impacted, and it "could also affect other schemes", the authority added .

It said it had introduced to allow planning applicants to calculate whether their development would be phosphate-neutral as a "first step" in keeping levels under control.

But it said: "Until longer-term solutions are found, the council will only be able to approve applications that can show that they meet this [phosphate-neutral] requirement, or can propose mitigation measures to the same effect."

The council said it was working with Natural England, the Environment Agency and South West Water "to find a solution as quickly as possible".