Construction begins on £1million new fish pass at chalk stream
Source: gov.uk (2025-02-11)

The Environment Agency has started construction of a £1million new fish pass at Turf Lock on the River Lark at Mildenhall in Suffolk.

The River Lark is a chalk stream and one of just over 200 in the world.

The aim of the work is to enable the free flow of native wild brown trout, eels and coarse fish. This will allow them to access habitat in the River Lark upstream of Mildenhall for spawning and foraging.

The project is part of the Brecks Fen Edge & Rivers Landscape Partnership Scheme (https://brecks.org/bfer/projects/restoring-the-water/1-2-sea-to-chalk-restoring-sea-trout-and-eels/), supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The partnership is hosted by Suffolk County Council and includes local councils, the Environment Agency, Anglian Water, Natural England, and many more.

Work will be carried out to remove two weirs that are currently impeding the fish and eels’ progress at Turf Lock. Once this work is done a new fish passage known as a rip rap rock ramp will be created using natural limestone boulders. A rip rap rock ramp provides shelter to the fish as they go between them. This work will take around three months to complete.

Chalk streams are a ‘valuable natural resource’

Lou Mayer, Environment Programme Manager for the Environment Agency said:

It’s fantastic to see work beginning on this important nature recovery project, as part of the catchment-based approach.

Chalk streams are an incredibly valuable natural resource which the Environment Agency are working hard to restore and protect through working in partnership.

Turf Lock is one of three structures in Mildenhall that will need modification for fish passage. Through consultation with Mildenhall Town Council, West Suffolk Council, landowners and local residents we are hopeful that we can continue to work in partnership to improve the biodiversity of the land around the river as well.

Councillor Philip Faircloth-Mutton, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Communities and Equality said:

Suffolk County Council is proud to support excellent partnership projects such as this, that deliver meaningful, and lasting outcomes to protect and enhance Suffolk’s biodiversity through the restoration of our valuable chalk steam habitats.

Ian Shipp, West Suffolk’s Cabinet Member for Leisure and Culture said:

We welcome this work which will benefit the river and support biodiversity in line with our own strategic priority for environmental resilience and thank all of those involved for their hard work in delivering such a complex scheme.

Whilst this work is carried out the footpath from the path adjacent to the works will be closed, on the North side of the River Lark, from the bridge at Mill Street, to the access track adjacent to the cricket field. An alternative route will be signposted.

Background
- The Environment Agency is funding this project from the Water Environment Improvement Fund, which has been used to unlock £3million of Lottery Heritage Fund for the Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers Landscape Partnership scheme, delivering heritage conservation projects on the Breck’s fenland fringe, key freshwater habitats and primary river corridors.
- The Catchment based approach is about working together, through engaging people, groups and organisations from across society to help improve our precious water environments. The Environment Agency is a partner organisation of the River Lark Catchment Partnership.
- The River Lark’s Catchment Partnership objective is to make improvements to habitat and ecological status of the river. The River Lark Catchment Partnership (https://www.riverlark.org.uk/#/)
- The River Lark has been identified as a flagship river for The Chalk Stream Restoration Project (https://www.riverlark.org.uk/#/) nominated as a Flagship catchment by Anglian Water and supported by the River Lark Catchment Partnership.
- One of the ways to do that is by removing restrictions to migratory fish species and unlocking river habitat improvements further upstream as part of a holistic approach to nature recovery.
About The Brecks Fen Edge & Rivers Landscape Partnership Scheme
- The Brecks Fen Edge & Rivers Landscape Partnership Scheme is a National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) funded Landscape Partnership Scheme for the Brecks.
- BFER is hosted by Suffolk County Council and has delivered a series of new and exciting community-based landscape and heritage conservation projects, focused on the Brecks’ fen edge and river corridors over a 5 year period (2020-2024). The partnership is made up of regional, national and local organisations with an interest in the area, community groups and members of the community.
- The Scheme outputs have concentrated on the key Fen Edge and Freshwater habitat areas within the Brecks, with the aim of delivering real understanding of water-based heritage and conservation issues, and positive conservation changes on the ground. This area encompasses a unique landscape in Britain with an incredible and much overlooked heritage and biodiversity.
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
- Brecks Fen Edge and Rivers (BFER) Landscape Partnership scheme has been awarded £1.97 million by The National Lottery Heritage Fund
- Using money raised by the National Lottery players, the NHLF inspires, leads and resources the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. National Lottery Heritage Fund. (https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/)