Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has submitted plans to make life easier for fish using the River Biss through Trowbridge.
It is applying to Wiltshire Council for planning permission to make enhancements to the River Biss between Cradle Bridge and the Town Bridge.
Trowbridge Town Council says it has no objection to the plans, subject to requesting details regarding the existing sluice gate.
Rebecca Gee, of WWT (Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said: “The application fundamentally seeks to significantly enhance the River Biss by installing a series of boulder berms at key points along the river and baffles to ease fish passage over the weir.
“An area of marginal planting is also proposed just south of The Shires shopping centre.
“The intention of the boulder berms is to increase water flow diversity within the channel and create areas of faster and slower flow.
“As a result of the change in flow patterns, habitat diversity within the channel will increase; the berms themselves will also be planted with native aquatic vegetation, creating additional habitat on the channel margins.
“This will in turn increase the biodiversity value along the corridor and add aesthetic value for passers-by to the channel. There will be no change of use to the river or adjacent habitats.”
The Devizes-based Trust says the site consists largely of a river channel, with extensive man-made reinforcement on both banks.
The proposed planting area is an area of neglected bankside and the weir proposed for easement works has no known purpose.
The plans are part of A Better Biss Approach, a five-year project to restore the River Biss and its tributaries and enhance its habitat for wildlife, whilst also connecting communities and businesses with the river.
The Trust is using practical action, community and business engagement and high-level strategic planning across the River Biss and its tributaries to achieve its aims.
WWT says: “ABBA will deliver physical restoration of the river to provide natural capital benefits and Water Framework Directive improvements hand-in-hand with large-scale community and business engagement whilst developing innovative solutions to the historic challenges the river faces through Trowbridge.”
Funded by Wessex Water Foundation, the ABBA project is being led by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust working closely with partners across the catchment.
These include Wessex Water, the Environment Agency, Wiltshire Council, Trowbridge Town Council, Westbury Town Council, and the Wild Trout Trust.
Wiltshire Council is expected to decide the application by Tuesday, September 24.
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