Flood protection work doubles as haven for wildlife
£10M SCHEME CREATES WETLAND FOR BIRDS AND EMBANKMENTS PLANTED WITH FLOWERS
GUARDING Salford against disaster has created a new wildlife haven.
A 13-acre urban wetland developed as part of a £10m flood protection scheme is now open to the public.
The Castle Irwell site, where the old Manchester Racecourse off Littleton Road used to be, will provide a new home for birds, and a retreat for cyclists and walkers.
The flood embankments have been planted with wildflowers to attract pollinating species such as butterflies and bees – whose population has dramatically declined across the country in recent years.
Coun Derek Antrobus, Salford council’s lead member for planning and sustainable development, said: “We are all very glad to see the new wetland area finally open.
“Birds such as herons, lapwings, geese, gulls, swans, great crested grebe and even rare visitors like the little egret and the little ringed plover are already using the site and we hope to see many more in future.
“Wetlands provide many benefits to society and help us to be more resilient to the effects of our changing climate. They provide multiple benefits such as slowing the flow of water, reducing flood risk, filtering water and capturing carbon.”
A steering group, consisting of representatives of The Broughton Trust, Salford Friendly Anglers, Kersal Vale Allotment and Horticultural Society and the University of Salford, was involved in designing the wetland and named a mound Harry’s Hill in honour of the late Coun Harry Davies, who represented the ward.
The two kiosks on site were decorated by Manchester graffiti artist, kELzO.
Space for seven new flood-resilient multi-use sports pitches has also been created.
The council and Environment Agency joined forces to create the 28-hectare second flood-water storage basin, which took three years to build and will work in tandem with the flood basin at Littleton Road completed in 2005.
It will capture up to 650 million litres of water (260 Olympic swimming pools) when the River Irwell rises and release it slowly when the river levels drop.
The two flood basins reduce the risk of flooding for 1,400 nearby homes and 500 local businesses and open up potential development of further land around the area.
In the Boxing Day floods of 2015, the second basin, although not fully operational at the time, helped reduce the extent of flooding.
The wetland is surrounded by a new 2.5 km footpath which links to an existing footpath to Kersal Vale and the River Irwell and provides a route to the centre of Manchester.