River Malago Restoration planning update

A resolution to grant planning permission for the River Malago Restoration project was made by Development Control Committee in June and on 18 October the project was granted planning permission. Read the decision notice here.

The plans centre on Plots 1, 3 and 5, which the River Malago flows through within the Bedminster Green Regeneration area.

The project aims to restore the Malago to a more natural river channel, by opening it above ground into Bedminster Green. Alternating sections of shallow, fast flowing stretches and deeper, slower flowing stretches would create a variation of habitats for a wider range of species.

The proposals go above government legislation around biodiversity net gain, as they are set to improve the biodiversity in the river by over 50 per cent and on the river banks by over 10 per cent.

The river is currently unnaturally wide and straight. Plans include narrowing the river channel to reduce sediment from building up when water levels are low, which will provide a better habitat for invertebrates and spawning grounds for fish. When water levels are high, the river will be able to spill into a wider channel and flood storage area, reducing flood risk to Bedminster.

The river restoration project is set to provide more than 2000m3 of water storage capacity – that is as much as an Olympic swimming pool. This will reduce the flood risk to not only the newly built and proposed Bedminster Green developments, but also to the wider Bedminster area, reducing not only flood extents but also flood depths by up to 40mm.

Installing a debris screen, where the river enters a pipe under Dalby Avenue and flows below Bedminster Parade towards the River Avon, will also reduce the risk of flooding to properties along East Street as it will filter out litter and vegetation.

Past major flood events in the area were caused by debris entering the underground pipe and blocking open the pipe’s flap door into the River Avon, which allowed high tide water to flow back up the pipe and flood properties.

Bristol City Council is also proposing to improve some of the river’s dilapidated historic infrastructure, including metal work around the original ‘penstock’ sluice gates. In the past these managed the flow of the river to the factories of Bedminster to which it powered.

Having been granted planning permission, the council will now look to appoint a contractor to begin construction work on the river restoration works in Plot 3, which will be the first phase to be delivered, with work expected to start towards the end of 2025 and be completed in 2026.

River restoration work on Plot 1 and Plot 5 will take place in future phases, in-line with the associated development plot’s construction timeframes.