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2017-18 End of Year Report

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2017-18 End of Year Report 1 SOMERSET RIVERS AUTHORITY 2017-18 END OF YEAR REPORT CONTENTS Part 1: Introduction: 2 Part 2: Performance: Delivery - 3, Finance - 4-6 Part 3: Progress of Works in Detail: Key Projects - 7-14, SRA Enhanced Programmes - 15-35 Part 4: Progress on Key Elements of Somerset’s 20 Year Flood Action Plan: 36-38 PART 1: INTRODUCTION In 2017-18, Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) spent just over £3.6million on actions designed to give Somerset extra flood protection and resilience. This End of Year Report covers everything done, still being done, or not done between the start of April 2017 and the end of March 2018. Part 2 shows where the SRA’s money has come from and how much has been spent in each SRA workstream - Dredging & River Management, Land Management, Urban Water Management, Resilient Infrastructure and Building Community Resilience. Part 2 also gives details of how much of their budget allocation has so far been claimed by the SRA’s delivery partners. Part 3 opens with major projects, then moves on to smaller actions grouped according to SRA workstreams, including all actions from the SRA 2017-18 Enhanced Programme and actions carried forward from previous years. For much more information about full programmes in earlier years, works in progress and works coming up, visit the Flood Risk Work section of www.somersetriversauthority.org.uk. Part 4 looks at what progress the SRA is making against the main targets of Somerset’s 20 Year Flood Action Plan. The SRA itself emerged from this Plan, and now oversees it. A note on Somerset Rivers Authority: The SRA is a partnership between 11 of Somerset’s existing flood risk management authorities: Somerset County Council, estW Somerset Council, Taunton Deane Borough Council, Sedgemoor District Council, South Somerset District Council, Mendip District Council, the Axe Brue and Parrett Internal Drainage Boards, the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Wessex Regional Flood & Coastal Committee. The SRA’s purpose is to provide a higher standard of flood risk management than is affordable from the existing budgets of those flood risk management authorities. Photographic credits: The front cover image by Turner Photography shows Van Oord’s water injection dredging vessel Borr, with its rear injection bar raised for demonstration purposes, on the River Parrett near Westonzoyland Pumping Station. All images copyright © Somerset Rivers Authority 2018, except for those used by kind permision of: p.1 and p.7 Turner Photography, p.9 Somerset Drainage Boards Consortium (SDBC), p.12 Hendrik Robinson of JacksonHyder, p.13 and p.15 Environment Agency, p.16 SDBC, p.17 South Somerset District Council, p.20 Environment Agency, p.21 South West Drone Images, p.22 and p.25 FWAG SW, p.24 Stephen Banks of Watershed PR & Marketing, p.26 Westcountry Rivers Trust, p.31 SDBC, p.34 Didier Lebrun of Somerset County Council. 2 PART 2: PERFORMANCE AND FINANCE - Delivery Progress Summary Delivery: Summary 2017-18 saw the SRA delivering its third annual Enhanced Programme of works. Twenty-three actions were approved by the SRA Board for delivery across Somerset. The total 2017-18 funding from SRA Local Partners (council tax and contributions from Somerset’s IDBs) was £2.843million. After provisions were made for contingency (£95k), four staff and overheads (£200k), and £150k was put aside for Sowy/King’s Sedgemoor Drain enhancements and/or pioneer dredging, the amount available for the 2017-18 Enhanced Programme was £2.398m. 2017-18 also saw the SRA and its partners continuing to work on actions that began life in earlier years. Some of these were always expected to take more than one calendar year to deliver; others were delayed for a variety of reasons, such as environmental considerations, issues with land ownership, or sheer complexity. An SRA action is a work or collection of associated works that gives Somerset extra flood protection or resilience, and advances Somerset’s 20 Year Flood Action Plan. Maintenance dredging of the Parrett is one action: so is the jetting of a few dozen drains. An action is recorded as completed when all costs have been fully claimed by the SRA’s delivery partners. This can be several months after works on the ground have finished. By the end of March 2017, 44 SRA-funded actions had been completed. At the start of the 2017-18 financial year (in April 2017), the SRA had 56 actions on the go, including the 23 newly-approved by the SRA Board in March 2017. Table A (below) shows that 16 actions were recorded as completed during 2017-18, leaving 40 still in progress. Table A: Action Status Table Actions in the 2017-18 Actions from DCLG* Funded Enhanced Programme - previous years’ actions Local Partners Funding Enhanced Status of Actions Programmes - Local Partners and 2015- 16 Interim Funding Actions completed by end of March 2017 N/A 40 4 Actions programmed for 2017-18 23 27 6 Actions completed during 2017-18 4 12 0 Actions in progress 19 15 6 * 2014-15 Funding from the Department of Communities & Local Government (DCLG), as it was then called. This is money given to support Somerset’s 20 Year Flood Action Plan, before the SRA was formally launched, then inherited by the SRA. Table A excludes key projects funded using Growth Deal money from the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (HotSWLEP). More information about these projects can be found on page 5 and in Part 3a of this report. Part 3b gives detailed information about what has been achieved, and what is being achieved, on all actions in the SRA’s 2017-18 Enhanced Programme and on all actions carried forward from previous years. 3 Delivery: Financial Spend by Workstream The pie-chart below shows SRA money spent during 2017-18, by Workstream. The figures show funding from all sources, namely SRA Local Partners (council tax and contributions from Somerset’s Internal Drainage Boards), the Heart of the SW Local Enterprise Partnership (HotSWLEP) Growth Deal Fund, Interim Funding from 2015-16 and DCLG funding from 2014. All SRA-funded actions are part of the SRA’s five main Workstreams, delivered for the SRA by its delivery partners (local councils, Environment Agency, IDBs, Natural England, FWAG SW). • W1 - Dredging and River Management • W2 - Land Management including natural flood management activities • W3 - Urban Water Management including Sustainable Urban Drainage Schemes (SuDS), planning and enforcement • W4 - Resilient Infrastructure including improvements and extra works to stop roads flooding • W5 - Building Local Resilience, giving inspiration, support, advice, information and practical help to communities, households, businesses, and landowners across Somerset to encourage and enable them to become more resilient and resistant to the impacts of flooding Amount Spent* by SRA in 2017-18 by Workstream (£’000)** Most SRA spending during 2017-18 was in W1, Dredging and River Management. £476k was spent on maintaining dredged profiles, silt monitoring, and de-silting with a further £162k spent on the Environment Agency’s Wessex De-silt Top Up. The SRA contributed £300k to the £4.35m Cannington Flood Alleviation Scheme which was operational over the winter of 2017-18 and stopped the village flooding. Other spending included: £206k on Main RiverAsset Improvements, £96k on improvements to pumping stations, £43k on tree work along the River Brue, and £23k on a variety of extra works in South Somerset and Sedgemoor. The SRA gave £65k of Local Partner funding to the Taunton Strategic Flood Alleviation Improvements Scheme (not to be confused with the £65k also given to this scheme from HotSWLEP funds - see next page). Other funds were spent on delivering work continued from previous years. 4 Natural Flood Management projects in W2 were funded by both HotSWLEP and Local Partners’ money. During 2017-18, £363k was spent on Hills to Levels schemes to ‘slow the flow’ of water down to vulnerable areas, projects to encourage better soil husbandry and so reduce surface water run-off, and visits to investigate problems with road flooding and subsequent work on land management solutions. £137k of this spend came from 2017-18 Local Partner funding. Work continued on W3, Urban Water Management. A small rain garden project, popular with residents, was completed in Taunton. Other projects have been focused on research and investigation: the lifespan of the EU-backed Sponge initiative is 2016 to 2020: so this workstream has so far not had cause for significant capital expenditure. During 2017-18, £37k was spent. On W4, Resilient Infrastructure, £703k of Local Partner funding was spent during 2017-18. Actions included a package of enhanced highway maintenance programmes (de-silting structures, drain jetting, gully emptying, targeted edge of road clearing - £392k), a new drainage scheme on the A38 at Rumwell (£115k - came in under budget), and new drainage pipes to re-direct floodwater away from a low blind bend on the A372 at Pibsbury Corner in Huish Episcopi (£25k - also under budget). The remaining £171k funded inspections and remedial works to culverts under roads in IDB areas (£73k), CCTV surveys of drains and culverts, and Local Flood Risk Management Measures continued from previous years (such as Old Cleeve to Blue Anchor drainage upgrades). SRA spend on W5, Building Local Resilience, was £53k in 2017-18. Working with communities has a pace that varies from place to place; it can take time to build up trust, develop ideas and get the best from people. The SRA-funded Community Resilience Officer has worked closely in the past year with flood-affected communities, and grants have been given to communities for training and equipment. Phase Two of the Levels Land Trust scheme has progressed, using funds given by DCLG in 2014.
Recommended publications
  • No. 6: MEDIEVAL ROAD & DONYATT

    No. 6: MEDIEVAL ROAD & DONYATT

    DIRECTIONS: The Old Medieval Road - Donyatt to Ilminster 1. The walk starts at the beginning of Canal Way, opposite Wharf Lane Car Park. Follow the footpath The old Donyatt to Ilminster road started in Church beside the recreation ground down to where it enters a Street, Donyatt, passing via Down and Dunpole Farms side path at the entrance to the additional playing area. crossing the southern slopes and shoulder of Herne Hill and then down to the Cross (the area of the Royal 2. Turn left into the playing field and follow the hedge, Oak in Ilminster). This was a convenient way to keeping it on your left, up the field and the Incline to the Ilminster and perhaps the shortest distance from the top of the field. Go on to the track straight ahead and centre of the village. It is likely to have been a better continue to the kissing gate. drained road and less muddy in winter than the lower No. 6: MEDIEVAL ROAD & DONYATT 3. Cross the field diagonally right and go through a route via Sea. This road was probably used for taking rambler gate three quarters of the way along the far pottery to Ilminster market using the Stibbear/Crow hedge line. Turn right and continue up tot he corner of Lane route. The road was also used as an access to the the field, keeping the hedge on your right. Go through a field systems on the southern slopes of Herne Hill rambler gate on to the Medieval Road. which were used by the local inhabitants.
  • North and Mid Somerset CFMP

    North and Mid Somerset CFMP

    ` Parrett Catchment Flood Management Plan Consultation Draft (v5) (March 2008) We are the Environment Agency. It’s our job to look after your environment and make it a better place – for you, and for future generations. Your environment is the air you breathe, the water you drink and the ground you walk on. Working with business, Government and society as a whole, we are making your environment cleaner and healthier. The Environment Agency. Out there, making your environment a better place. Published by: Environment Agency Rio House Waterside Drive, Aztec West Almondsbury, Bristol BS32 4UD Tel: 01454 624400 Fax: 01454 624409 © Environment Agency March 2008 All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced with prior permission of the Environment Agency. Environment Agency Parrett Catchment Flood Management Plan – Consultation Draft (Mar 2008) Document issue history ISSUE BOX Issue date Version Status Revisions Originated Checked Approved Issued to by by by 15 Nov 07 1 Draft JM/JK/JT JM KT/RR 13 Dec 07 2 Draft v2 Response to JM/JK/JT JM/KT KT/RR Regional QRP 4 Feb 08 3 Draft v3 Action Plan JM/JK/JT JM KT/RR & Other Revisions 12 Feb 08 4 Draft v4 Minor JM JM KT/RR Revisions 20 Mar 08 5 Draft v5 Minor JM/JK/JT JM/KT Public consultation Revisions Consultation Contact details The Parrett CFMP will be reviewed within the next 5 to 6 years. Any comments collated during this period will be considered at the time of review. Any comments should be addressed to: Ken Tatem Regional strategic and Development Planning Environment Agency Rivers House East Quay Bridgwater Somerset TA6 4YS or send an email to: [email protected] Environment Agency Parrett Catchment Flood Management Plan – Consultation Draft (Mar 2008) Foreword Parrett DRAFT Catchment Flood Management Plan I am pleased to introduce the draft Parrett Catchment Flood Management Plan (CFMP).
  • Levels and Moors 20 Year Action Plan: Online Engagement Responses

    Levels and Moors 20 Year Action Plan: Online Engagement Responses

    Levels and Moors 20 Year Action Plan: Online Engagement Responses We have had an excellent response to our request for your ideas – between the 13 th and 21 st February a total of 224 individuals responded on-line and a few by email. All of these ideas have been passed to the people writing the plan for their consideration and we have collated them into a single, document for your information – please note this document is in excess of 80 pages long! Disclaimer The views and ideas expressed in this document are presented exactly as written by members of the public and do not necessarily reflect the views of the council or its partners. Redactions have been made to protect personal information (where this was shared); to omit opinions expressed about individuals; and to omit any direct advertising. Theme: Dredging and River Management The ideas we shared with you: • Dredging the Parrett and Tone during 2014 and maintain them into the future to maximise river capacity and flow. • Maintain critical watercourses to ensure appropriate levels of drainage, including embankment raising and strengthening, and dredging at the right scale to keep water moving on the Levels, but not damaging the wildlife rich wetlands. • Increase the flow in the Sowy River. • Construct a tidal exclusion sluice on the River Parrett as already exists on other rivers in Somerset. • Restore the natural course of rivers. • Use the existing water management infrastructure better by spreading flood water more appropriately when it reaches the floodplain. • Flood defences for individual communities, for instance place an earth bund around Moorland and/or Muchelney, (maybe using the dredged material).
  • 10000 515000 ! 520000 525000 !

    10000 515000 ! 520000 525000 !

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  • Somerset Levels and Moors: Assessment of the Impact of Water Level Management on Flood Risk

    Somerset Levels and Moors: Assessment of the Impact of Water Level Management on Flood Risk

    Somerset Levels and Moors: Assessment of the impact of water level management on flood risk Report to Somerset Drainage Boards Consortium Charlie Stratford and Mike Acreman Centre for Ecology and Hydrology October 2014 Acknowledgements We would like to thank the following people for their assistance in compiling this document. Name Organisation Phil Brewin Somerset Drainage Board Consortium Nick Stevens Somerset Drainage Board Consortium Iain Sturdy Somerset Drainage Board Consortium Keith Fifield Environment Agency Murray Bush Environment Agency Christopher Matthews Environment Agency Executive Summary The aim of this document is to provide the reader with a robust understanding of the processes that affect surface-water flooding in the area of the Somerset Levels and Moors. Particular attention is paid to the storage of water in the ditch network and adjacent soil body and a key output of this report is an assessment of the role of ditch management in the severity of flood events. The Somerset Levels and Moors consist of low-lying organic peat soils sitting on top of marine silts and clays, and form in effect an impermeable bowl. Rain falling on the surrounding catchments will either infiltrate and recharge the groundwater system or find its way to the network of channels that pass through the Levels and Moors before ultimately entering the Bristol Channel. The area is naturally susceptible to flooding. Extensive drainage was carried out in the 17 th and 18 th centuries with the aim of making the land more accessible and increasing its agricultural value. The drainage network is principally managed to minimise the impact of flooding, enable agricultural production and also provide conditions required for the conservation of the natural and historic environment.
  • Shepton Beauchamp Ramblers

    Shepton Beauchamp Ramblers

    SHEPTON BEAUCHAMP RAMBLERS Walks Programme - April to June 2013 Date Contact Meeting Place Time Distance Walk Details Tuesday Helen Carr and The Coach & Horses 1000 5 miles Lovely open country past Pipelpen Farm April Liz Baker car park (DT8 3HS) for to North Perrott and over fields to South 2nd South Perrott 1015 Perrott. 7 stiles, one rather challenging, OS472067 the going could be muddy in places. 2 short climbs. Note early start! Tuesday Wendy & Roger The FREE LONG 1015 4½ Around Castle Cary, with far reaching April Neve STAY car park (with for miles panoramic views. Further details TBA. 16 th loos) in Milbrook 1030 Lunch at The George Hotel. Gardens, behind UK petrol station on the way into the centre of Castle Cary. Tuesday Stuart & Meet at The 1015 4.4 Walk along part of the Westport Canal – April Rosemary Barrington Oak for miles very flat & few stiles, mainly fields, 30 th Thomson (TA19 0JB) 1030 footpaths and droves, with a slim chance OS ST389 181 of glimpsing kingfishers and otters. Note this is the AGM meeting. Tuesday Tony & Claire Meet at the York Inn, 1015 5 Walk through the Otterhead Lakes Nature May Green Churchingford for miles reserve, Churchstanton Hill, 14 th (TA3 7RF) 1030 Churchstanton, and back to OS 214 125 Churchingford. Tuesday Roger & Eileen The Smuggler’s Inn, 10.30 5½ Along the coast path towards Rinstead. May Cripps Osmington Mills, for miles Inland to White Horse Hill & return via 28 th Weymouth (DT3 6HF) 1045 Osmington village and coast path. Hilly, OS 736 819 but not many stiles! Note: Sea Front car park belongs to the Pub but doubles as a Suggest we car share due to the parking Public car park, so problems so the cost is spread.
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    2000 503000 504000 505000 3°1'0"O 3°0'30"O 3°0'0"O 2°59'30"O 2°59'0"O 2°58'30"O 2°58'0"O 2°57'30"O 2°57'0"O 2°56'30"O 2°56'0"O 2°55'30"O

    499000 500000 501000 502000 503000 504000 505000 3°1'0"O 3°0'30"O 3°0'0"O 2°59'30"O 2°59'0"O 2°58'30"O 2°58'0"O 2°57'30"O 2°57'0"O 2°56'30"O 2°56'0"O 2°55'30"O GLIDE number: N/A Activation ID: EMSR-069 £ Product N.: 02Bridgwater, v1 " £ " Bridgwater - UNITED KINGDOM Flood - 10/02/2014 Delineation Map - Detail - Monit02 Production date: 22/02/2014 West Wales Gwent Monmouthshire United and The Valleys Kingdom Valleys and Newport Irish North Cardiff Sea Sea (! Bristol, Ireland Gloucestershire, 0 0 0 0 East City of T 0 0 WilLtosnhdoinre and a 3 3 u 6 6 Wales Bristol n 6 6 Bath and North Channel Bristol/^Bath area t Bristol Belgium 5 E 5 o ³ N OR T H n Channel East SomerseAtT, LNA NoT IrCth R Somerset and OSCoE AuNth o Gloucestershire Wiltshire CC a E ³ English d Channel France N N " " 0 0 ' ' 7 7 ° ° £ 1 Bay 1 5 5 " of Biscay Glastonbury (! (!Bridgwater "£ Somerset Taunton (! Dorset and Hampshire Somerset CC Dorset CC Devon Devon CC Cartographic Information Full color ISO A1, medium resolution (200 dpi) land Road 1:10000 0 Westonzoy 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 6 6 0 200 400 800 6 6 d 5 5 a F m o o N N r " " e R S 0 0 3 3 t ' ' n r 6 6 e Grid: WGS 1984 UTM Zone 30N map coordinate system ° ° o e 1 1 t t 5 5 n Tick marks: WGS 84 geographical coordinate system u ± a 5 ! T M Westonzoyland Legend Crisis Information Hydrology Flooded Area (22/02/2014 06:27 UTC) River General Information Stream Area of Interest Huntworth Canal ! Administrative boundaries River !! !! !! !! !! !! !! Municipality Lake Somerset Settlements ! Populated Place Industry / Utilities d a County E o ³ Power Station R Residential n to Transportation n £ u Agricultural a Bridge 0 T 0 " 0 0 0 0 1 1 Cemetery 6 6 N N Railway " " 6 6 0 0 ' ' 5 5 6 6 ° ° 1 1 Commercial 5 5 Motorway Educational R Primary Road iv e Industrial r P Secondary Road a r Institutional re Local Road tt Medical Recreational Religious Map Information d oa Since the end of January heavy rainfalls have caused severe floods in different districts of r R te southern England.
  • Accessible Natural Greenspace Assessment

    Accessible Natural Greenspace Assessment

    An analysis of Accessible Natural Greenspace provision in Sedgemoor Appendix B Data Tables Table 1. Accessible Natural Green Space sites larger than 2 Hectares in Sedgemoor Description Code Location Area_Ha Accessible Natural Comments Nature Conservation Area 2 - 20 Hectares Kingdown and Middledown SSSI 1.1.1 Cheddar 4.02155 Y Y Access land The Cheddar Complex SSSI 1.1.2 Cheddar 10.142 Y Y Visible from PROW Cheddar Complex SSSI (and NS&M Bat SAC) 1.1.3 Cheddar 10.6513 Y Y Includes GB Gruffy SWTS and incorporates the North Somerset and Mendips Bat SAC Greylake SSSI 1.1.4 Middlezoy 8.62931 Y Y Publicly accessible RSPB Nature Reserve Nature Conservation Area 20 - 100 Hectares Axbridge Hill and Fry's Hill SSSI 1.1.05 Axbridge 66.877 Y Y part Access land and remainder is visible from Access Land and PROW Mendip Limestone Grasslands SAC and Brean Down SSSI 1.1.06 Brean 66.0121 Y Y PROW crosses the site Draycott Sleights SSSI 1.1.07 Cheddar 62.1111 Y Y PROW crosses the site The Perch SSSI 1.1.08 Cheddar 73.0205 Y Y PROW crosses the site Cheddar Woods SSSI - Mendip Woodlands 1.1.09 Cheddar 85.1246 Y Y PROW crosses the site and incorporates Mendip Woodlands SAC Dolebury Warren SSSI 1.1.10 North Somerset 91.9918 Y Y part Access Land and visible from access land and PROW Langmead and Weston Level SSSI 1.1.11 Westonzoyland 81.166 Y Y PROW crosses the site Nature Conservation Areas 100 - 500 Hectares Berrow Dunes SSSI 1.1.13 Berrow 199.343 Y Y Visible from PROW Cheddar Reservoir SSSI 1.1.14 Cheddar 105.589 Y Y Cheddar Complex SSSI (and NS&M Bat SAC)
  • An Assessment of the Effects of the 2013-14 Flooding on the Wildlife and Habitats of the Somerset Levels and Moors

    An Assessment of the Effects of the 2013-14 Flooding on the Wildlife and Habitats of the Somerset Levels and Moors

    An assessment of the effects of the 2013-14 flooding on the wildlife and habitats of the Somerset Levels and Moors Produced by Natural England with support and contributions from Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Somerset Wildlife Trust, Somerset Consortium of Internal Drainage Boards, Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group South West, Bangor University and Flooding on the Levels Action Group. Summary Overview The winter 2013-14 flooding of the Somerset Levels and Moors had major impacts on communities, property, transport infrastructure, tourism and agriculture. Such a significant event will inevitably also affect the natural environment. However, considering how long the area was under water, our understanding is that the effect on wildlife and habitats was perhaps not as great as might have been expected. Our key findings are summarised below: ● Grasslands reacted in two different ways to the flooding and its aftermath. Older, more established grasslands, which are of greater importance to wildlife, appear to have recovered well whereas more recently established grasslands were either badly damaged or destroyed. ● Wildlife in ditches appears to have survived the flooding. There is a concern that the flooding may have resulted in some aquatic invasive species having spread beyond their previous range. This will need to be monitored. ● The numbers of waterfowl and wading birds remained about average for February, with the floods attracting significantly more of some species, notably ducks, but seeming to displace others, such as golden plover and teal. ● Numbers of breeding waders showed a slight dip in 2014, compared to 2012 and 2013, but were still higher than 2009.
  • The Story of Breeding Waders on the Somerset Levels

    The Story of Breeding Waders on the Somerset Levels

    Farewell to the silver meadows? The story of breeding waders on the Somerset Levels Flooded meadow at West Sedgemoor RSPB reserve. Richard Archer Chris Gomersall/rspb-images.com mong the pleasures of early spring the fen meadows and flood pastures of 11 grassland sights and sounds of the Somerset Levels Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in the Aon a still morning are hard to beat. Court- heart of the Levels, and to a few non-designated ing Snipe chip and drum above the damp hay satellite sites (Fig. 1). The Levels today are one of meadows on West Sedgemoor, and Greylake’s the four most important areas for breeding waders splashy pastures resound to the urgent ‘leeu leeu’ in lowland England, despite a long and continuing calls of displaying Redshank. history of wetland decline. This article gives an overview of breeding February and March can be a noisy time on the waders on the Somerset Levels over the past Levels as returning waders display and establish century. ‘The Levels’, as the area is known locally, territories. Curlews Numenius arquata are usually consists of 30,000ha of peat and clay moors in the first to arrive, appearing from early February the floodplains of the Brue and Parrett rivers, and in older hay meadows and unimproved pasture. includes the Somerset Levels & Moors Special Unlike other Levels’ waders, Curlews are less Protection Area and Ramsar site, designated for closely tied to high water levels and adult birds its non-breeding waterbirds and rare aquatic will range quite widely to feed. They do well on invertebrates.
  • Taunton Deane Landscape Character Assessment – Report 1 Taunton Deane Landscape Character Assessment

    Taunton Deane Landscape Character Assessment – Report 1 Taunton Deane Landscape Character Assessment

    Taunton Deane Landscape Character Assessment – Report 1 Taunton Deane Landscape Character Assessment Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 3 Background and Context ...................................................................................................3 Landscape Character Assessment ................................................................................................. 8 Landscape Type 1: Farmed and Settled Low Vale....................................................................... 25 Character Area 1A: Vale of Taunton Deane ....................................................................25 Landscape Type 2: River Floodplain ............................................................................................ 37 Character Area 2A: The Tone..........................................................................................37 Landscape Type 3: Farmed and Settled High Vale...................................................................... 45 Character Area 3A: Quantock Fringes and West Vale.....................................................46 Character Area 3B: Blackdown Fringes ...........................................................................47 Landscape Type 4: Farmed and Wooded Lias Vale .................................................................... 55 Character Area 4A: Fivehead Vale ..................................................................................55
  • Lord Cameron Recently Gave a Talk to the Ilminster History Society the Text

    Lord Cameron Recently Gave a Talk to the Ilminster History Society the Text

    THE HISTORY OF DILLINGTON ESTATE This is not a detailed history of the Dillington Estate but should rather be referred to as Cameron's historical and family meanderings. I suppose like all good chronicles one needs to start at the present day. What is the Dillington Estate: it currently consists of approximately 3,000 acres of farmland and woods pretty well within a ring fence in an area which extends mostly to the east of Ilminster: from Eames Mill on the River Isle to Water Street Farm at Seavington ; from Moolham Farm, above Pretwood to the south, to Hurcott Farm just this side of Shepton Beauchamp and from Ilford Bridges Farm down on the River Isle to the outskirts of Dowlish Wake. It currently consists of a Home Farm of over 2000 acres and three let farms along with 140 acres of woodlands. All three of the remaining tenant families are into their third generation and, hopefully, that consistency will be maintained into the future. In the old days, of course, there would have been many farms of varying sizes and a lot of diversified activities: Millers – seemingly one every mile or so on the River Isle: Eames Mill; Dye Mills (which was just below Cocks Bridge at Ashwell, and according to the maps as late as 1890 used to be a hamlet of some 3 or 4 houses but has now completely disappeared apart from the vague remains of a mill race); there was also a mill at East Dillington, that is I believe, the current Dillington Farms which got its water from the dammed up stream in Longponds which I restored in the 1970s (the pond that is and not the Mill).