We’re pleased to share that works at Barnes Green have now been completed, writes Shomari Rosalska, our Community BlueScapes Project Co-ordinator. The project has seen the river carefully redirected into the Green, the creation of a fully accessible island linked by a new bridge, and the addition of a dog beach with stepped access down to the brook to help reduce erosion. The riverbank has also been enhanced with pre-planted coir rolls to support habitat creation and long-term bank stability.

Over the coming months, areas affected by the works will be reseeded, and temporary fencing will remain in place while the site settles. As the weather improves and summer arrives, the planting will establish and the area will quickly begin to look greener and more inviting.

Thank you to everyone for their patience and understanding throughout the project, particularly during delays caused by the discovery of an unidentified underground cable. We appreciate the community’s support and look forward to seeing Barnes Green enjoyed by all.

Working in partnership with the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames (LBRuT) and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT), we have been awarded £6m from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to increase flood resilience in the Beverley Brook’s catchment in Richmond and areas of Wandsworth. The Community BlueScapes project runs over 6 years and is part of the £200m Flood and Coastal Resilience and Innovation Programme, managed by the Environment Agency (EA). We were one of 25 programmes selected to drive innovation in flood and coastal resilience and adaptation to a changing climate, across the country.