River Yarty floodplain and habitat restoration
The Environment Agency has committed up to three years of funding through the Water Environment Investment Fund (WEIF) to advance the three core Triple Axe themes, including ‘nature.’
Combined with Defra’s Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme, this investment has enabled major restoration work on two stretches of the River Yarty, focusing on bankside stabilisation, floodplain reconnection, and stone augmentation.
Year one (2024–25)
Work was completed from Cuckford Farm down to Yarty Farm Bridge, delivering approximately 200 metres of bank restoration. This included re-establishing floodplain connectivity and function, enhancing riverbed quality and habitat, and stabilising riverbanks.
Year two (2025–26)
Building on this, a further 500-metre stretch downstream from Yarty Farm Bridge has been restored.
Techniques and materials used:
- 750 tonnes of flint/chert
- 750 tonnes of stone
- 100 tonnes of 650mm quarried stone
- 500 live stakes
- 500 cubic metres of brushwood
Funding breakdown
2024–2025
- WEIF funding for restoration (materials and labour): £85,214
- FiPL funding: £5,000 – additional technical expertise for restoration works
Design plans
FiPL funding: £25,000 – three reports:
- Yarty: River and Floodplain Restoration – Design Study
- Yarty: River and Floodplain Restoration – Feasibility Study
- Yarty: River and Floodplain Restoration – Macrophyte Translocation Proposal
2025–2026
- WEIF funding for restoration (materials and labour): £41,040
- FiPL funding for restoration (materials and labour): £40,000
- BHNL Project Fund for restoration (materials and labour): £2,860
Design plans
- FiPL funding: £7,000 – design plan and permit applications
[lots of photos here – we could potentially create a carousel]
Credit Julian Payne WRT
Credit: Hannah Metson
Credit John Parry