Case study:Lower Otter Restoration Project

Project overview

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Status	Complete
Project web site	http://www.lowerotterrestorationproject.co.uk
Themes	Estuary, Flood risk management, Habitat and biodiversity
Country	England
Main contact forename	Lydia
Main contact surname	Burgess Gamble
Main contact user ID
Contact organisation	Environment Agency
Contact organisation web site	http://clintondevon.com
Partner organisations	Clinton Devon Estates
Parent multi-site project
This is a parent project encompassing the following projects	No

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Project summary

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The Lower Otter Restoration Project (LORP) in Budleigh Salterton, East Devon, is a flagship intertidal habitat restoration, climate adaptation, and infrastructure improvement project delivered by the Environment Agency in partnership with the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust and Clinton Devon Estates.

LORP has been majority funded by the UK government, with £8.5 million of co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg V A France (Channel) England programme (2021 to 2023). It is the English arm of a cross-border initiative called ‘Promoting Adaptation to Changing Coasts’ (PACCo) and is delivering pre-emptive climate change adaptation in the Otter Valley by working with nature to provide benefits for people and the environment.

As part of the initiative, work is also going ahead on a similar project (Basse Saâne 2050) in the Saâne Valley in Normandy, France. Left unchanged, both valleys’ landscapes would not be sustainable in the face of climate change after centuries of human modification.

The aim of LORP is to demonstrate that it is possible to collaborate with stakeholders in estuarine regions and work with nature, rather than against it, to improve the resilience of coastal communities and their environments.

It is achieving this by increasing flood resilience through greatly improved infrastructure, reversing biodiversity loss (record-breaking levels of wading birds have already been seen regularly in the area since wetland development began), undoing the negative impacts of man-made modifications and restoring significant habitat loss, increasing carbon capture, and building awareness of climate adaptation and nature-based solutions through a range of educational resources and visits. LORP’s unique approach and methodology has also been shared through the publication of the PACCo Guide – a comprehensive framework for nature-based adaptation and management.

The project began in spring 2021 and was completed in early autumn 2023. The works include a 70-meter breach in embankments to reconnect the Otter Estuary to its historic floodplain; restoring 55ha of wetland habitat; the construction of a 30-meter span flood-resilient, raised road and road bridge, as well as a new footbridge over the location of the future breach to ensure continuity of the South West Coast Path; the relocation of Budleigh Salterton Cricket Club away from the floodplain; raising and improving public footpaths, and creating wildlife viewing areas.

To find out more about the Lower Otter Restoration Project, visit: www.lowerotterrestorationproject.co.uk

For more information on the PACCo initiative, visit: www.pacco-interreg.com

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Project background

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Reach length directly affected (m)	1800018,000 m <br />18 km <br />1,800,000 cm <br />
Project started
Works started
Works completed	2024-06-02
Project completed
Total cost category
Total cost (k€)	30003,000 k€ <br />3,000,000 € <br />
Benefit to cost ratio
Funding sources	Environment Agency

Cost for project phases

Phase	cost category	cost exact (k€)	Lead organisation	Contact forename	Contact surname
Investigation and design
Stakeholder engagement and communication
Works and works supervision
Post-project management and maintenance
Monitoring

Supplementary funding information

a managed realignment scheme delivered by the EA with a budget input of approx. £30 million

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Location: 50° 37' 50.88" N, 3° 18' 29.34" W

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Catchment and subcatchment Select a catchment/subcatchment Site Edit site Name WFD water body codes WFD (national) typology WFD water body name Pre-project morphology Reference morphology Desired post project morphology Heavily modified water body National/international site designation Local/regional site designations Protected species present Invasive species present Species of interest Dominant hydrology Dominant substrate River corridor land use Average bankfull channel width category Average bankfull channel width (m) Average bankfull channel depth category Average bankfull channel depth (m) Mean discharge category Mean annual discharge (m3/s) Average channel gradient category Average channel gradient Average unit stream power (W/m2) Reasons for river restoration Edit reasons for restoration Mitigation of a pressure Hydromorphology Biology Physico-chemical Other reasons for the project Measures Edit Measures Structural measures Bank/bed modifications Floodplain / River corridor Planform / Channel pattern Other Non-structural measures Management interventions Social measures (incl. engagement) Other Monitoring Hydromorphological quality elements Edit Hydromorphological quality elements Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative Biological quality elements Edit biological quality elements Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative Physico-chemical quality elements Edit Physico-chemical quality elements Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative Any other monitoring, e.g. social, economic Edit Other responses Element When monitored Type of monitoring Control site used Result Before measures After measures Qualitative Quantitative Monitoring documents Upload monitoring documents Additional documents and videos Upload additional documents Additional links and references Edit links and references Link Description http://www.gov.uk/government/news/vital-new-wetland-habitat-protected-with-announcement-of-a-new-kings-national-nature-reserve#:~:text=Nature%20Minister%20Rebecca%20Pow%20said,how%20we%20can%20do%20that. Vital new wetland habitat protected with announcement of a new King’s National Nature Reserve http://www.endsreport.com/article/1861785/devon-nature-reserve-significantly-extended-part-climate-adaptation-project Devon nature reserve significantly extended as part of climate adaptation project Supplementary Information Edit Supplementary Information