Complete surveys, appraisal and design updates (as appropriate) to deliver detailed design of weir removal for Wilmslow Park Weir

Descriptions

Wilmslow Park Large Weir is located on the River Bollin, southeast of the town of Wilmslow in East Cheshire, at grid reference SJ8567881137. The weir is a two-staged weir, approximately 11m wide and 4m high. The weir is over 140 years old and appears to have been constructed for abstraction of water into a mill on the left bank. The mill race is disused and has been closed off for some time. The weir is constructed in large stone masonry with two vertical drops. Just downstream of Wilmslow Park Large Weir is a smaller weir (Wilmslow Park Weir) at grid reference SJ8531981224, which is approximately 4m wide and 1.5m high. The land is owned by Bollin Valley Partnership who have established ecological enhancements at the site and therefore we will be working with the Chesire East Council and Bollin Valley Partnership to deliver the project. The Park is managed by the Bollin Valley Partnership, a collection of landowners (including Cheshire East Council) and conservational organisations, who oversee the management of green infrastructure. The Mersey is a recovering migratory salmonid catchment, whose improvements are acknowledged in the Salmon Five Point Approach. Historically the catchment had a very productive salmonid fishery, and its potential to support future UK salmon stocks is significant. In 2004, APEM delivered the report 'A Strategy for The Establishment of Sustainable Populations of Migratory Fish', on behalf of The Environment Agency. This document reviewed habitat information covering the entire Bollin sub catchment and developed a strategy for the re-introduction of salmon to the River Bollin to allow the establishment of self-sustaining populations. Working upstream from the Manchester Ship Canal, all the weirs identified in the strategy up to Wilmslow Park Weir have either been removed or had a fish pass installed. Therefore, Wilmslow Park Weir is the current upstream limit for salmon on the River Bollin. The aim is to complete surveys, appraisal and design updates (as appropriate) to deliver detailed design of weir removal for Wilmslow Park Weir and weir removal, weir modification or bypass for Wilmslow Park Large Weir. It is expected that this will be completed in two phases; Phase 1: Option Development and Phase 2: Detailed Design,