NFM at Penvale Park, East Hunsbury

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NFM at Penvale Park, East Hunsbury

Issue:
Penvale Park in East Hunsbury suffered from persistent flooding, with heavy rains causing surface water to flood nearby homes and gardens. This created stress and significant disruption for residents, including long-term impacts on their living conditions.

Solution:
Through a partnership with the RAIN Project and Nene Rivers Trust, the parish council implemented sustainable flood mitigation measures. These included building a bund, land reprofiling, new drainage systems, and leaky dams. These interventions, supported by funding and expert input, were designed to manage water flow and reduce flood risks.

Benefits:
The project has significantly reduced flood risks, providing residents with peace of mind. It also enhanced the park’s sustainability and biodiversity, with plans for community involvement in future initiatives like the “butterfly bund” planting festival.

Nature-Based Projects

Trees in Parks

Catchment: Harpers & Wootton Brook

The Trees in Parks project will plant a collection of striking specimen trees—such as ginkgo and liquidambar—in public parks and open green spaces across the Harpers Brook and Wootton Brook catchments. These trees will form elegant avenues and focal points that enhance local landscapes, provide shade, support pollinators, and improve resilience to flooding and climate change.

Target: £0 raised of £42,000

0% of funding target

Front Garden Forests

Catchment: Harpers & Wootton Brook

This project will offer 100 beautiful blossom trees, including cherry and magnolia, to households across more urban parts of the Harpers Brook and Wootton Brook catchments. By planting trees in front gardens, we aim to create a patchwork of greener, more resilient neighbourhoods that not only look stunning, but also help manage surface water, while supporting local wildlife.

Target: £0 raised of £8,000

0% of funding target

One Mile of Hedgerows

Catchment: Harpers and Wootton Brook

This project will create one mile of new hedgerow across the Harpers Brook and Wootton Brook catchments, linking farmland, villages, and small holdings to form a rich, connected landscape that supports biodiversity, slows surface water runoff, and contributes to climate resilience.

Target: £0 raised of £20,000

0% of Funding Target