The River Blythe in Brueton Park has benefitted from a new restoration project this September that will improve biodiversity in Solihull’s green spaces, with new habitats for insects and plants, and spawning grounds for fish now in place.
The works were designed and managed by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and carried out by Five Rivers Environmental, in association with Solihull Council and the Environment Agency.
Over the past month, the river, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and nationally recognised as important, has seen a number of improvements. Obstacles have been removed and replaced, including the poorly functioning ‘rock ramp’, while new pools, riffles, and point bars along the back water channel to the lake have also been created.
The works have been already observed to be functioning well to support and restore the natural river processes and are providing a more varied range of river habitats for the species that use and inhabit the river.
Crucially, the new developments will improve the flow of water in the river and provide better habitats for river species, protecting wildlife and biodiversity in the area and continue to allow public enjoyment of the landscape in this location.
While the works areas are already showing positive signs of improvement, there are further plans already in place to support growth on the new areas of bare soil along the riverbank, in Spring 2026.
Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Climate Change and Planning, commented:
“I was delighted to see first-hand the finished restoration works at Brueton Park. It’s important for us as a Council that we continue to protect and enhance our biodiversity in our vegetated areas such as parks, gardens, rivers and woodlands.
"By developing our green spaces with projects like this, we can further enhance the local environment and natural capital value for a diverse range of habitats and species, and for Solihull residents.
"I would like to extend my thanks to all the partners who worked on this project for delivering such a successful outcome.”