These are urban blue spaces that have been, or are planned to be, created or enhanced. Most of these opportunities will be actioned during the delivery phase of the project, though some have already commenced due to the nature of opportunities, funding or our quick wins programme. The priority projects for the delivery phase include: the wetland park, borrow pit wetland areas, capture at source SuDS and associated natural drainage options for barrier service buildings, and community engagement with Chilton Trinity.
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Site description - A great location with links to Durleigh Brook / Parratt.
Site opportunity - Options to create a small attenuation feature and to do restoration work on the fountain. TC are on board with early discussions.
Landowner/s - unknown
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Site description - Housing development - BoKlok (Ikea/Skanska partnership).
Site opportunity - To design SuDS for the residential development. Design only.
Stakeholders - WWT, BoKlok, local community
Landowner/s - SDC
Funding - Funded through the housing scheme.
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Site description - Related to the construction of the tidal barrier and downstream defences.
Site opportunity - EA have identified an opportunity to create wetlands from borrow pits. Some land owners are partly on board, without contractual agreements. Timeline is currently unknown, awaiting TWAO.
Stakeholders - copy
Landowner/s - EA and private landowners.
Funding - Funded through the tidal barrier scheme.
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Site description - Ponds near Bower hospital.
Site opportunity - An opportunity to create a new wildlife group, connect the pond to blue corridors and to celebrate its existence.
Funding - EA
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Site description - A field located centrally next to the Docks.
Site opportunity - An opportunity for the creation of a surface drainage feature, a large sinious swale, in the Brewery Field in connection with the Northgate development.
Stakeholders - SDC, WWT, Wilmot Dixon, McGregor Smith, local community, Northgate Primary School.
Landowner/s - SDC.
Funding - SDC funded through the Northgate scheme.
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Site description - Based centrally in the town, the museum celebrates Bridgwater’s rich maritime history and brick and tile production.
Site opportunity - The Bridgwater Blue Heritage project links to the museum through walks to the tidal barrier site, emphasis on the connection to maritime heritage and the brick and tile industry. Opportunities exist to improve the walking route and/or promote it with interpretation. Collaboration with the museum to run open days for the ground investigation work are taking place by the EA in Spring 2022.
Landowner/s - Public / EA
Funding - Funded through EA.
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Site description - Central location running south from the Docks.
Site opportunity - Blue connections such as the Bridgwater and Taunton canal towpath connect different opportunities and sites. This will help people to use green forms of travel and will allow for future interpretation, while also telling the maritime heritage story.
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Site description - Small parish village north of Bridgwater.
Site opportunity - Working closely with EA engagement / comms teams to establish an engagement strategy with the possibility of including GI. Opportunity to develop a SuDS scheme at the Redrow housing development with the local community.
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Site description - A village downstream of the tidal barrier, close to WWT Steart Marshes.
Site opportunity - Undeveloped opportunity for intangible activities with the local residents such as walking tours and maritime history education.
Funding - unfunded
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Site description - Central Bridgwater
Site opportunity - Short term opportunity to green the urban area with terrestrial/surface and subsurface aquatic plants to help clean water, improve biodiversity and become an amenity feature for people. Biomatrix contractor support e.g. https://www.biomatrixwater.com. Further opportunities to work with local groups such as Sea Cadets and IWA, to conduct activities and celebrate the Docks.
Stakeholders - SDC, CRT, SCC, BTC, WWT
Landowner/s - Somerset County Council Freehold CRT current leasehold.
Funding - Opportunity for Town funding.
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Site description - 20ha of floodplain grazing marsh, easily accessed from central urban areas within the town, which was intensively grazed until November 2020. The site regularly floods but is criss crossed with rhynes and footdrains designed to move water off the site to increase productivity for cattle grazing.
Site opportunity - To create and enhance wetland features with the aim to retain more water on site, especially during the summer season. Actions include the creation of new scrapes, reed bed habitat, re-cutting existing footdrains and restoring parts of the historic river. There are opportunities for the local community to get involved through citizen science training, volunteering roles, and school involvement.
Stakeholders - SDC, FOM, IDB, EA, WWT, Wessex Water.
Landowner/s - Sedgemoor District Council (F1 - F5), Peter Kidman (F 0), Deceased estates, Mr White beneficiaries and pony club own south of Witches Walk.
Funding - GRCF funding secured for 'quick wins' programme (Meads phase 1) during scoping phase. £60k for wetland restoration and £40k for grazing infrastructure, to be completed by March 2022 in line with GRCF rules.
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Site description - Fields to the west of The Meads Sedgemoor District Council owned land.
Site opportunity - F6 – To develop a new growing and foraging area which will be accessible to the local community, acting as a destination point which can benefit health and wellbeing.
F7 – An opportunity to re-wet the area with similar features e.g. scrapes and footdrains, funded by S106.
Stakeholders - SDC, FOM, Seed of Hope, WWT, EA.
Landowner/s - Notaro Developer, soon to come to SDC on S106.
Funding - Funded through Notaro S106.
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Site description - Land adjacent to The Meads foraging area.
Site opportunity - Opportunity to develop phase 1 (GRCF). Future phases include improved access, the foraging area, 3 more water control structures and charging the wetland area in field 5 via the Haygrove Sluice.
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Site description - SCC community woodland (a former landfill), planted with ask trees.
Site opportunity - The site could be developed to be more accessible. Biodiversity could also be increased through new planting and we could promote walking routes and the connections to the England Coast Path and the Parrett Trail.
Landowner/s - SCC
Funding - unfunded
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Site description - Ponds hidden just off Taunton Road.
Site opportunity - Undeveloped: A new SDC housing development has been green lighted providing opportunities to design in various SuDS features. Allotment owners in the areas are ready to work with the project to celebrate the ponds, access to the canal path and the wildlife.
Stakeholders - SDC, allotment owners, general public, CRT and WWT
Landowner/s - SDC
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Site description - Around the tidal barrier site, likely to be constructed after the barrier but initial design could be delivered.
Site opportunity - Opportunity to create the initial design for a wetland park for the public, to be constructed after the completion of the tidal barrier. To include interpretation and information about e.g. the Bridgwater Blue Heritage project, the climate and biodiversity emergencies and to promote other sites and walking routes.
Stakeholders - SDC, EA, the barrier construction company, Atkins and Chilton Trinity
Landowner/s - EA
Funding - Unfunded / Tidal barrier scheme
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Site description - Low lying floodplain currently owned by developers.
Site opportunity - Similar opportunities are available as with The Meads, for landforming and conservation grazing. Coming over on S106. Potential for the creation of a new Friends group, various activities and local monitoring.
Stakeholders - SDC, EA, ‘Friends Group’.
Landowner/s - SDC, housing developer.
Funding - Unfunded
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Site description - The Wilstock Hub
Site opportunity - A community building.
Stakeholders - Opportunity to create a micro wetland and capture at source SuDS on a new community building.
These opportunities are not ‘mapped’ though are intangible, yet just as important. They include the citizen science programme, programme of activities, engagement, and celebrating walking and cycling routes.
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Site description - Various within the area.
Site opportunity - In partnership with the EA we can delivery SuDS features to school via the Bridgwater Blue Heritage project.
Stakeholders - EA, WWT, schools, councils
Landowner/s - N/A
Funding - Department for Education (DfE) fund available, approx. £50k per school.
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Site description - Part of the barrier site location.
Site opportunity - We’re exploring the Chilton Trinity Brickworks with the Environment Agency and local people to try and preserve some of the Victorian buildings and kilns next to the barrier site.
Landowner/s - N/A
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Site description - BBH branded interpretation boards across all sites in the project area.
Site opportunity - Opportunity to provide learnings about our responses to the climate and nature emergencies, maritime history, new habitats, synergies, informing and celebrating walking routes (e.g. England Coastal Path, Parrett Trail, celebration mile). Also barrier education with holistic approaches to flood protection, such as natural flood management.
Stakeholders - multiple
Landowner/s - N/A
Funding - unfunded
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Site description - Project wide volunteering and citizen science programme.
Site opportunity - Opportunity to involve the local community and other stakeholders in the creation, maintenance and monitoring of all possible opportunities to achieve widest participation and legacy beyond the project’s scope. Several activities and monitoring programmes are underway at The Meads, along with a successful launch day with activities.
Stakeholders - multiple
Landowner/s - N/A
Funding - GCRF funded to date.
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Site description - Parrett Trail, canal towpath and others.
Site opportunity - Opportunity to create new and blue green connections (e.g. Wilstock to the Meads, the canal to the Docks and more). Additional opportunity to celebrate current routes such as the England coast path, and the Parrett Trail, by including them on the map.
Stakeholders - landowners and more.
