Watford Borough Council’s Cabinet has now approved a 10-year programme to restore the Watford section of the River Colne.
Watford Borough Council’s Cabinet has now approved a 10-year programme to restore the Watford section of the River Colne.
The Rediscovering the River Colne project, which has been jointly developed between Watford Borough Council and environmental organisation Groundwork, will now move into its first phase of delivery between 2021 and 2024, after a Cabinet meeting approved the plans on 4 October. This will include the delivery of:
- Landscape and access improvements
- Improvements to the river and its adjoining habitats
- A range of engagement and monitoring activities
The River Colne, which is a tributary of the Thames, will undergo an extensive range of improvements and enhanced management. The key goal is to attract back the original biodiversity of the river and its habitats, including plants, fish, birds, insects and other vital species. A large aspect of helping to restore the river will be a focus on ‘citizen science’ – volunteers who can carry out a range of support activities, including water monitoring, population counts and more.
The reinvigoration of the area will also mean residents can access the river and its riverbanks, where they will be able to enjoy a range of water-based activities, pastimes and educational programmes – including outdoor wild-play sessions, riverfly monitoring, and wellbeing sessions.
Elected Mayor of Watford Peter Taylor said “We’re thrilled to give the go-ahead on the Rediscovering the River Colne project. Watford Borough Council are working hard to make the town a sustainable, healthy and thriving place to live – which can only be done by ensuring that the surrounding natural areas are clean, healthy and biodiverse. We’re excited for the next 10 years, and can’t wait to see the River Colne flourish once again.”
Emily Evans, Project Officer for Groundwork East said “We’re delighted that the project to rediscover the River Colne can now begin. We’re looking forward to connecting the local community of Watford with the river, to help them to protect the waterway and its habitats, as well as using the river and surrounding areas as a place to play, keep healthy, learn, and generally enjoy.”
Environmental charity Groundwork has been appointed by the council to lead on the first phase of the project. The initial development phase will produce a habitat and access improvement strategy for the following public sites:
- Knutsford Playing Fields
- Radlett Road Playing Fields
- Timberlake Allotments
- Waterfields Recreation Ground
- Oxhey Park
- Riverside Recreation Ground
- Riverside Park
- Lairage Land (Local Nature Reserve)
The detailed designs and permitting has begun for the first four sites – Knutsford Playing Fields, Timberlake Allotments, Radlett Road Playing Fields and Waterfield Recreation Ground. Soon, the design and permits for the remaining three sites will start – and with approval of all the designs, the installation of the river improvement projects will begin, due to continue until 2024.
You can find more information about the Rediscovering the River Colne project, and ways that you can get involved.
