Hackbridge River Wandle restoration to begin in September

Spades will be in the ground in early September as work begins to restore a stretch of the River Wandle around Culvers Avenue in Hackbridge.

Historic modifications to the river have reduced water quality in the area and damaged the habitats that local wildlife depends on.

The project, led by South East Rivers Trust, will restore around 350 metres of the Wandle. The riverbed will be reshaped to create shallow riffles and deeper pools, providing habitat for fish.

Trees will be cut back to allow more light to reach the river and its banks. The wood sourced from this will then be used in the river to create structures called berms, that improve the flow of water.

Independent experts have confirmed that the works will not increase the risk of flooding to nearby homes.

Bobby Dean MP has been supportive of the project and attended a local drop in with South East Rivers Trust.

Bobby Dean MP said:
“Really exciting stuff. I'm here with South East Rivers Trust on the banks of the Wandle near Hackbridge, and we're finally getting on with the project for the Culvers Avenue area.

“They're gonna be making some improvements to restore the river back to its healthy best, laying down some logs and berms, getting rid of some trees so we let more light into the river.

“And overall, the whole wildlife and habitat's gonna be much, much better here.

“This project has been going on for quite a while. Glad to see it finally over the line, and we should see work start in September and all done by the end of September.

“So, really great news. If you want to volunteer and help with the delivery of this project, you can look on the South East Rivers Trust website and get involved.”