Plans approved to create new wildlife habitats in River Wear to 'revitalise' stretch of riverbank in Sunderland

Proposals to “revitalise” a stretch of riverbank in Sunderland by creating new wildlife habitats have been given the green light.
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Back in August, 2022, Sunderland City Council’s planning department received an application for Palmers Hill Quay on the northern side of the River Wear.

The site, which sits to the east of the Wearmouth Bridge and south of Bonners Raff, includes a constructed foreshore as well as a number of standing concrete and timber structures known as ‘dolphins’.

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Plans from Groundwork North East and Cumbria , which form part of the ‘Revitalising our Estuaries’ programme, proposed steps to restore nature and boost biodiversity.

Plans have been approved to create new wildlife habitats in the River Wear. Picture c/o Pixabay.Plans have been approved to create new wildlife habitats in the River Wear. Picture c/o Pixabay.
Plans have been approved to create new wildlife habitats in the River Wear. Picture c/o Pixabay.

As part of a wider survey, Palmers Hill Quay in Sunderland was identified as an area that could benefit from ecological works to “improve biodiversity provision and habitat connectivity”.

The plan proposed a raft of bespoke “constructed habitats” including artificial rockpools and additional habitats linked to the dolphin platforms at the quay.

This included the use of ‘mussel ropes’ to extend existing mussel beds and magnetically-fixed rock pools being attached to parts of concrete dolphin platforms’ steel infrastructure.

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After assessing the application against planning policies, Sunderland City Council’s planning department approved it on Friday, October 21.

A planning decision report noted the development would “enhance blue infrastructure and biodiversity within the site”.

It was also confirmed that the plans would not result in an increased risk of flooding and would “deliver ecological enhancements”.

As part of a council consultation process, the county ecologist requested a planning condition to “address potential disturbance risks to feeding waterbirds”.

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The final condition included no development taking place within the “main sensitive wintering bird period of October to March” or extra monitoring to ensure birds are not affected by the proposed works.

Groundwork North East and Cumbria has been commissioned by the Environment Agency to find opportunities for “environmental enhancements to the Wear Estuary” which has been “heavily modified by human activity”.

According to a design and access statement submitted to council officials, “unnatural hard, steep or vertical banks reduce habitat and biodiversity preventing native plants and animals from inhabiting the estuary”.

The new measures proposed at Palmers Quay in Sunderland aim to “emulate natural estuarine intertidal habitats such as rock pools and upper shore habitat”.

For more information on the scheme, visit Sunderland City Council’s online planning portal and search reference: 22/01818/FU4