November 15, 2018 4.35 pm This story is over 64 months old

Wetlands plans for Saltfleetby flood defences

A place for wildlife to blossom
Photo: Chris/Geograph

A wildlife charity is planning to create an area of wetland for wildlife in a bid to “reconnect a river with its floodplain” by moving flood defences next to a Saltfleetby reserve.

The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has submitted plans to East Lindsey District Council to remove around 400 metres of flood bank on the Great Eau river off Sea View Road, re-align existing defences and build two new defence banks.

The land is currently used for cattle grazing and features a public coastal footpath which is already being investigated to see if it can be diverted.

The trust has already spoken to the Environment Agency, which has expressed initial support of the application, though asked for further discussions on the final plans and for a flood risk to be undertaken.

According to documents submitted to the authority, the move will “provide an area of wasteland for wildlife benefits while ensuring flood protection for existing properties”.

An assessment says: “This is the next phase in an ongoing project to reconnect the river with its floodplain; three sections of the river bank have already been realigned.

“The site will continue to be managed as agricultural grazing marsh.”

The documents submitted to the council say similar schemes have been carried out elsewhere on the same river.

They say the new banks will be of a similar (or marginally larger) width and height to the existing ones.

Though river flows are predicted to increase, the trust argues the new wetland would take the flooding periodically from the river and the defences would continue to protect surrounding properties.