Salford council has approved up to £170,000 for a ‘floating landscape’ on the River Irwell near Ordsall Hall, aiming to transform a degraded stretch of waterway into a thriving habitat.
Floating wetland project details
The waterway next to the Foundry warehouse complex will be turned into a floating wetland habitat project, involving buoyant islands with grasses and water plants where different animal species can make their home. The area currently has ‘poor ecological status’, with pollution and poor water quality having killed off much of the wildlife.
The funding, approved at a planning meeting on Wednesday, August 12, comes from Section 106 contributions – money that large-scale developers pay the council in exchange for affecting existing green space or community amenities. The funding will be topped up with £78,000 of grant funding from the Environment Agency’s Water Environment Improvement Fund, who are collaborating on the project.
Council and partner support
Coun Mike McCusker, deputy mayor and lead member for planning, said: “This looks like a great project that will improve the biodiversity and water quality, as well as improving flood defences and making it an attractive place to visit. The £170,000 we’re adding has come from developers building on Worral Street. The whole point of the Section 106 is to offset the impact of the building on the area, and I think this is a good scheme for that.”
Peel Ports, who own the entire stretch of the Manchester Shipping Canal, are reportedly in support of the scheme in principle. The project would involve the design, supply and installation of ‘modular floating ecosystems’ using specialist contractors, with the job due to go out to tender in September.
Expected benefits and future plans
Once installed, the waterway will likely see an increase in animal life, improved water quality, and better flood and climate change resistance. If they’re a success, the local authority intends to put a number of the installations along the river, including in Broughton and the Meadows. Similar projects have taken place in Rochdale, Bristol, and in Regent’s Canal in London.
