The Environment Agency is asking for public views on three proposals to enhance the River Itchen north of Woodmill. The consultation runs until Friday, December 12.”
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The Environment Agency says it’s working with Southampton Council, partners, and community to revive endangered wildlife in the River Itchen and enrich community spaces at Riverside Park.
The aim is “to look at ways to improve the local ecosystem while also enriching important community spaces and celebrating the area’s cultural heritage”.
“We have developed some ideas that could help deliver solutions for fish passage, sustainability, climate change, naturalisation, heritage, and public access and enjoyment,” says the Environment Agency.
It has set out three “concept ideas” for public consideration:
1. Check weirs
A series of small ‘check weirs’ would re-shape the river into gentle steps, improving fish passage and creating a more natural, meandering channel with new wetlands and better wildlife habitat.
Suggested benefits/constraints
The Environment Agency says this could diversify river flows, improve habitat and fish movement, reconnect the floodplain and create new wetland links between Riverside Park and Octavia Road - but the lowered water levels would restrict access for water craft along parts of the Navigation.
2. Rock ramp fish pass
A rock ramp at the west end of the park would replace the existing fish pass, keeping water levels on the Itchen Navigation much the same while improving fish movement and allowing some bank naturalisation and wetland creation.
Suggested benefits/constraints
According to the EA, this approach could improve fish passage, create new wetland areas and retain direct access to the Navigation for swimming, watercraft and fishing, though opportunities to re-naturalise the channel are more limited because the water must remain artificially deep.
3. River returned to the floodplain
The final option presented by the Environment Agency would allow the River Itchen to follow a more natural route along the valley floor, leaving the Riverside Park channel dry for much of the year except during floods. The Itchen Navigation would fluctuate seasonally, offering new ways for people to experience the landscape during dry periods.
Suggested benefits/constraints
Concept 3 allows the River Itchen to follow a more natural course, improving fish movement and creating a dynamic seasonal river environment, says the EA. A new interpretive trail through Riverside Park would celebrate the memory of the Itchen Navigation, but the channel would remain dry except during periods of flooding.
Concepts 1 and 2 may well appeal most to people looking to enjoy and interact with the river, while Concept 3 may attract those prioritising wildlife and habitat restoration.
You can see far more detail about each of the ideas here [pdf], and give your views here by Friday, December 12.
The EA says it will produce a Lower Itchen river restoration report at the end of February 2026, and this will be made publicly available.