Slow the Flow project marks new milestone in natural flood management
Shropshire Council is celebrating progress on the second phase of its Shropshire Slow the Flow Natural Flood Management project - a scheme using nature-based solutions to help reduce flood risk for local communities.
The latest work has taken place at Battlefield, Shrewsbury, led by Shropshire Wildlife Trust in partnership with local landowner and farmer, Robert Jagger.
It forms part of the wider Slow the Flow 2 programme, which builds on an earlier phase that delivered around 1,000 natural flood management measures across the county.
Phase two focuses on restoring and enhancing natural features in the landscape so that rainwater is held back, stored, and slowed before it reaches rivers and roads.
At Battlefield, this will help alleviate flooding of the Battlefield link road.
Sarah Mackness, from Shropshire Wildlife Trust, explained some of the measures installed:
“At Battlefield, the project team has created an in‑ditch wetland by daylighting a previously covered ditch, restored existing ponds, installed leaky wooden barriers, created scrapes, and introduced cover crops.
These techniques are designed to increase soil infiltration, make use of low‑lying land for temporary water storage, and reduce the speed at which water flows into the river system downstream.”
Farmer and landowner Robert Jagger said the work is already making a difference on the ground:
“Our family has been farming here since the 1800s and this project has brought some of our land back into use. It has been an interesting project to be a part of and we can see the benefits.”
Tom Dainty, Shropshire Council’s deputy Cabinet member with responsibility for flooding, said natural flood management is becoming an increasingly important part of how the council plans and maintains local infrastructure:
“Natural flood management is becoming increasingly relevant to how we plan and maintain our highways and wider infrastructure. As pressures on the network grow, measures like these will play a bigger role in managing water sustainably and reducing downstream impacts.
We expect to continue this kind of work across the county as part of long‑term, integrated flood resilience.”
By working with natural processes, the Slow the Flow programme aims to strengthen long-term resilience to flooding, while also improving local habitats and biodiversity.
The interventions increase the landscape’s ability to manage water, reducing the effects of heavy rainfall on downstream communities.
Shropshire Council will continue to work closely with partners, farmers and landowners to identify suitable locations for further measures, and to share learning on how natural flood management can support wider catchment strategies across the county.