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PROJECTS
Starston River Habitat Enhancement Project
Services
Drainage & Watercourse Maintenance
Natural Flood Management
Environmental Services
Partnership Working
Location
Starston, Norfolk
Partners
Norfolk County Council Highways
Essex & Suffolk Water’s Blue Spaces fund
Defra’s Water Environment Improvement Fund (WEIF)
Start & Completion
Start: February 2025
Completed: May 2025
The Starston Beck Project is a partnership initiative led by the Environment Agency and delivered by the Waveney, Lower Yare and Lothingland Internal Drainage Board (WLYLIDB), working closely with local landowners, to restore river habitats and improve ecological connectivity through the village of Starston.
The project was made possible thanks to funding from Defra’s Water Environment Improvement Fund (WEIF), with additional support from WLYLIDB, Essex & Suffolk Water’s Blue Spaces fund, and Norfolk County Council Highways.
Starston Beck is an important part of the local landscape. By working in partnership across organisations and landowners, we have delivered lasting improvements for both the environment and the local community.
Project Overview
Following early feasibility and design work, the Environment Agency commissioned the Water Management Alliance to develop detailed designs and prepare for delivery. Four local landowners actively contributed to shaping the final designs.
The main works included:
- Weir removal and modification – one weir removed, one bypassed, and one reprofiled to restore natural river processes and improve fish passage.
- Riverbank restoration – re-profiling banks to create more natural shapes, provide extra channel capacity, and protect Low Road from erosion.
- Riverbed improvements – adding cobbles, gravels, and gravel berms to improve flow conditions, raise riverbed levels, and create diverse habitats.
- Sediment management – creation of an online pond to trap sediment from a tributary, improving overall water quality.
- Public access – a new shallow access bay at Glebe Meadow, giving visitors a safe way to connect with the river.
These actions restored a more natural river system, increased habitat diversity, and created stronger ecological connections across Starston Beck.
Benefits
The project delivers a wide range of environmental and community benefits:
- Healthier river habitats – weir removal, bank re-profiling, and flow improvements create the right conditions for fish, invertebrates, and aquatic plants to thrive.
- Support for protected species – survey work confirmed the presence of water vole as well as fish such as stone loach, eel, dace, chub, and three-spined stickleback.
- Better water quality – sediment capture reduces pollution, protecting the ecology of the beck.
- Resilient river processes – improved flow during summer months helps maintain oxygen levels, while extra channel capacity supports floodplain storage during high flows.
- Community access – Glebe Meadow improvements provide safe access to the river, encouraging people to enjoy and connect with their local environment.
A subtitled timeline video showcasing the Starston River Habitat Enhancement Project
Project Gallery
Testimonials
The Environment Agency worked in partnership with the Waveney Lower Yare and Lothingland IDB on the Starston Beck Habitat Enhancement Project. The IDB have turned aspirations for the beck here into reality. The project has improved the ecology and natural functioning of almost 2km of the beck at Starston as well as providing opportunities for the public to better connect with the beck within the Glebe Meadow village site through sensitive bank reprofiling work.
Naomi Boyle, Catchment Coordinator Environment Programme Team, Environment Agency
The IDB team has made joint working on the Starston River Habitat Enhancement Project a pleasure. They communicated well and have been receptive to our ideas. They have also shown great skill in converting complex design drawings into the practical reality of improving the river channel and meadows for both wildlife and the community. Their skill with large machinery performing the most delicate of channel work was very apparent. Nature is now evolving, wildlife returning and people feel inspired. The village has just organised a party to celebrate the completion of the project and the re-opening of Glebe Meadow. Thank you to all involved.
Peter Grimble, Starston Jubilee Hall Trust