Tales from the riverbank…

The charity Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT) has teamed up with Peterborough City Council, the Environment Agency and other supporting organisations to work on an exciting river improvement programme. Through creating a better environment for people and wildlife, the partners believe the works will bring additional social, well-being and economic benefits to the area

Local residents, wildlife and the environment are benefitting from work currently taking place in the north of the city to improve water quality and create better habitats. The Werrington Brook Improvements is a 5+ year programme looking at ways of holistically improving a sub-catchment of the River Welland. The project was launched following completion of a feasibility study in 2014 by Peterborough City Council and the Environment Agency. The study looked at potential ways that the water quality, biodiversity and amenity function of the water bodies could be enhanced for the benefit of all. Werrington Brook Improvements involves physical works, and aims to influence community and business behaviour in order to reduce pollution across five stretches of the brooks in the Duke’s Mead, Hastings Road, Arundel Road, Ullswater Avenue and Aubretia Avenue areas.

The works involve putting new features into the brooks to improve the way they naturally function, restoring them to how nature intended. From changing the way the brook flows, to increasing the amount of oxygen in the water, the features will help to clean the water, create new habitats, and provide a more pleasant space for all to enjoy. As one local resident said: “The water is now the clearest it has ever been!”

‘Healthy rivers provide excellent environments to help local people, businesses, organisations and wildlife in numerous ways,’ explains PECT’s CEO Carly Leonard. ‘In addition to the physical works, the project also explores how the local community and businesses can work together to reduce pollution to maintain a cleaner, greener, healthier river environment, both now and into the future.’

The plans for the area have been shaped by the people who live, work and visit there. Local residents were invited to view the proposed plans and share their thoughts at a series of public consultations. During the first round of consultations, 90% of attendees stated that they felt the condition of the local water environment was important to their own well-being. This claim is backed up by national research. A study by the Centre for Research on Environment, Society and Health (2012) found that regular exercise in a natural environment can cut the risk of suffering from poor mental health by 50%. In addition to this, the benefits of people increasing their physical activity are numerous. About a third of all deaths are classed as premature, meaning that they could have been prevented by lifestyle changes undertaken at an earlier time of life (source: www.local.gov.uk).

Living a healthy lifestyle not only adds to people’s life expectancy but can save public expenditure on treatment, care and associated costs such as loss of productivity in the workplace and the cost of crime and anti-social behaviour. A report for UKActive.com found that reducing physical inactivity by just one per cent a year over a five-year period would save the UK economy just under £1.2bn. If this happened over this five-year period it could save local taxpayers £44 per household.

Rob Price, Catchment Coordinator at the Environment Agency, said: ‘Healthy rivers and habitats encourage a cleaner environment, which results in a more diverse and healthier wildlife, making green spaces even more attractive for all to enjoy. In turn, people make the most of them, by taking more walks, exploring and enjoying their surroundings.’ The project has already completed works at Cuckoo’s Hollow and on over 1km of sections near Hastings Road and Dukesmead. The current works are taking place near Arundel Road and Rockingham Grove, with an expected completion date of March.

Do you want to improve your health and fitness?

Need a reason to get outdoors? Then Walk Peterborough may be just what you’re looking for! The new Walk Peterborough website provides an even easier way to enjoy walking in your local area. The website is designed specifically to record different routes around the city and surrounding areas. In addition, through mobile optimisation and GPS data, you can now conveniently map and follow your route on the go. You can also choose a walking distance to suit your requirements. The charity PECT has produced the new website, with funding from Travelchoice. Not only can you see a range of suggested walks to do around Peterborough, you can even add your own route ideas. For more information, please email and visit the website at www.walkpeterborough.co.uk

Peterborough RiverCare

RiverCare, managed by Keep Britain Tidy and funded by Anglian Water, encourages local communities to take pride in their environment and come together to maintain and enhance it for future generations. The groups do much more than just clear litter, they remove non-native species, survey and monitor flora and fauna and carry out habitat management and restoration. A new RiverCare group has been formed in Peterborough by local residents. They have adopted the restored section of Werrington Brook river and are being trained in biological recording techniques to monitor how successful the restoration works have been. The group will hold regular litter picks, check dissolved oxygen levels and carry out fixed point photography at key points at the site. To get involved, email or visit www.keepbritaintidy.org

WANT TO FIND OUT MORE? WANT TO GIVE YOUR VIEWS?
The project is looking to work with local people to improve the way the environment is maintained and managed to ensure long-term changes. Email or visit www.pect.org.uk/WerringtonBrook