With support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the People’s Postcode Lottery, the Environment Agency, InvestSK and Lincolnshire Cooperative, our ambition is to reconnect local people with the River Witham in Grantham and its natural and built industrial heritage.
The River Witham rises just south of Grantham at South Witham. The name “Witham” seems to be extremely old, apparently predating Anglo-Saxon, Roman, and even Celtic influence, the meaning is not known. Over recent centuries, and particularly the last 100 years, the once naturally meandering river channel of the Witham has been straightened, deepened, widened, impounded and embanked as part of fluvial engineering schemes designed to reduce flood risk and improve land drainage. These modifications, together with catchment land management practices, have contributed to a decline in river corridor habitat quality in the catchment.
The river runs through the centre of Grantham and is heavily modified in sections. It does however, run through both Wyndham and Dysart Park, giving local people the opportunity to access and enjoy a riverside setting. LRT were part of a partnership project to improve a 100 metre stretch of the river, benefitting the river habitat and park users’ experience. The work here improved the way the River Witham flows, enhancing wetland habitats and creating a more natural river environment for people to get closer to and enjoy. The Project also included the installation of some recycled plastic decking enabling safe access for the public to get closer to the river and explore its wildlife.
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