Hyndburn Brook improvements set to bring Salmon to Accrington

An exciting river improvement scheme on the River Hyndburn between Clayton-Le-Moors and Great Harwood will help migrating salmon, trout and eels bypass a historic weir. It will allow them to reach habitat inaccessible since at least 1844 when the weir supplied water for the Oakenshaw Printworks. A specially designed channel will be constructed to bypass the weir, transforming 1.3kilometres of river. The channel will be complemented by education projects in local schools and 1.24 hectares of new woodland, to be planted by volunteers later this year.

Above: Oakenshaw Weir

Hyndburn Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Education, Leisure and Arts, Cllr Ken Moss, said:

“In Hyndburn our rivers, woodlands and public spaces are often overlooked, yet they’re fantastic! This project will make a huge difference at Oakenshaw Weir, and it will be great to see the work the schools and volunteers achieve. I’m also looking forward to the follow-on projects, and getting Salmon upstream to Accrington!”

The project is a flagship scheme within the Ribble Life Togetherprogramme – delivering a healthier river system for the benefit and enjoyment of local communities and wildlife. The Ribble Rivers Trust are leading the project, working in partnership with The PROSPECTS Foundation, Hyndburn Borough Council and community representatives. The £128,000 project has been funded by national lottery players through the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Environment Agency, Natural Course – an EU LIFE funded project, and the Windfall Fund – a partnership between EnegieKontor and The PROSPECTS Foundation.

Above: A 3D visualisation of the planned work for Oakenshaw Weir.

Alison Silver, Windfall Fund Grant Manager, added:

“We’re really proud to be supporting this scheme and have been looking forward to it starting. As well as improving and celebrating the natural heritage of the Hyndburn Brook, it will inspire the local community and leave a positive legacy in our local area.”

Further information can be found at www.ribblelifetogether.org/hyndburnbrook-oakenshaw or you can contact the Ribble Rivers Trust on 01200 444452.