SRA Annual Report 2021-22: Tivington Farm: River Aller upper catchment floodplain restoration
This scheme has been designed to help restore and re-naturalise 125 hectares of land at Tivington Farm on the National Trust’s Holnicote estate in West Somerset. The idea is that drainage ditches and short sections of headwater streams should become part of a more complex, diverse and dynamic system of wetlands, flushes, pools and branched-out channels. As with the National Trust’s ambitions for the River Aller downstream at Selworthy Farm, this scheme has been inspired by the success of ‘Stage Zero’ techniques in producing numerous benefits for people, wildlife and landscapes.
Gains here are expected to include reduced flood risks for nearly 100 properties downstream in places such as Allerford and Bossington, and reduced flooding of the A39 between Porlock and Minehead, several B roads and smaller lanes.
This Riverlands Porlock Vale Streams project is part-funded by the EU’s Interreg 2 Seas programme and by the Environment Agency. Match-funding has been given by the SRA for works including modelling and design.
Activities in 2021-22
A planning application for this scheme was registered with Exmoor National Park Authority on 2 February 2022. Reference number 6/29/22/01, local parishes Selworthy and Minehead Without, and Wootton Courtenay. The application contains 73 documents with lots of interesting details. Respondents (seven in total) include neighbours and Selworthy and Minehead Without parish council.