River Soar to receive £500k funding
The grant will go towards protecting the wildlife and creating spaces for people to enjoy Leicester's historic river.
Improvement plans for the River Soar have received a £500,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The new project called 'Restoring the Soar' has been developed in partnership with Leicester City Council, the Canal & River Trust and Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust.
The money will be used to enhance the river corridor from West Bridge, near Leicester's city centre, out to Watermead Park.
Local people will be asked for their views of long-standing issues with the river which affect both people and wildlife. Consultation sessions have already begun in Belgrave, where residents have been invited to see the project area.
The project will aim to improve water quality, enhance wildlife habitats and encourage more people to use and enjoy the river and surrounding areas.
Ben Devine, head of nature recovery at Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust, said: “We’re delighted to be working with local partners on this ambitious landscape project along the River Soar through Leicester. Through this project, we’ll aim to bring communities together to help nature flourish where people live and work, and put nature firmly into recovery along a strategically important wildlife corridor.”
The money will be used for improvements to the river and its neighbouring habitats, as well as exploring ideas to help preserve some of the built heritage along the river, and make improvements to the public realm, including plans for new facilities on the riverside.
The team plans to apply for a further Heritage Fund grant of nearly £3 million at a later date.
Leicester City Council’s assistant city mayor for environment, Councillor Geoff Whittle, said: “Leicester’s waterways are central to our city’s heritage. From prehistoric times, when mammoths walked in Watermead Park, to the recent conversion of Victorian industrial sites into new housing developments, the river has always been at the heart of Leicester.
“Thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and money raised by National Lottery players, we can now develop our plans for extensive work to take place along the river and canal, for the benefit of both people and wildlife.”
Final plans will include opportunities for volunteers and local groups to get involved and take part in the project.