Two wetland habitat areas are being created on the Steart peninsula that will be home to one of the UK’s largest areas of new intertidal and freshwater wildlife habitats. Improvements will be also be made to existing flood defences and the network of access tracks and paths.
The first scheme involving the Environment Agency is well under way. In the spring of 2013, it is expected that a 200 metre breach in the River Parrett flood defences will be constructed to create the wetlands.
The Port of Bristol Company will be responsible for the second scheme. This will be to the North of Stert Drove and involve a breach of the Bristol Channel sea defences near Wall Common. This scheme will replace habitat lost when a new container terminal is built at Avonmouth. Although there is a serious commitment to go ahead with the project, there is some delay due to the current economic conditions.
Find out more…
- Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) – Steart Marshes
- Environment Agency
- Bristol Port Company – no information on their project
- Somerset Coastal Change project