PANT & BLACKWATER RESTORATION PLAN
The Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust (ESRT), with help from our partners Essex and Suffolk Water, the Environment Agency and the North Essex Farm Cluster, are running a large-scale project on the River Pant and Blackwater (a single river, the name of which changes around half way along its course).
The project has been completed in two stages. Firstly, a fluvial audit (a detailed survey of the river) was conducted during 2024 with a final report being produced in the late autumn. This report has then been used as the backbone to form a restoration plan for this river system, being produced by the ESRT in spring 2025.
We are now seeking public feedback
Webinar: We held a webinar on the 16th of April 2025 which gave some further details about the plan. You can view the seminar on our Youtube channel here: Pant and Blackwater Restoration Plan Webinar April 2025
View the first draft plan: A draft version of the The River Pant & Blackwater Restoration Plan is now available. Please note that the plan is subject to further review, additions and corrections. We encourage all webinar attendees to read the plan before attending. While you are free to download and read this draft plan at your leisure, including passing it to others, please be aware it is a draft and is subject to change. The final version will be available soon after public consultation ends.
The draft version will be available from the 9th April 2025 to the 6th May 2025.
You may also wish to look at our mapping application where you can see some of the results of the fluvial audit in a zoomable map: Pant and Blackwater Opportunities.
Share your feedback: Please use our online feedback form to share any comments or suggestions for improving the River Pant & Blackwater Restoration Plan.
Why target the Blackwater and Pant?
In 2023, Essex County Council and the Essex River Hub catchment partnership identified the Blackwater as a priority catchment for the county for both restoration and for climate change action. The river is in a moderate condition under the Environment Agency's Water Directive Framework. As well as being heavily modified, the River Pant has scored poorly for biological factors. The Blackwater Estuary that the waters of this river flow into is a very important site, designated as a RAMSAR site, SSSI, SPA, NNR and MCZ.
What areas are being covered?
The whole non-tidal and non-canalised length of the Blackwater and Pant will be assessed as part of the fluvial audit and will fall under the restoration plan, from the headwaters of the Pant at Wimbish to the confluence with the River Chelmer at Beeleigh. This covers an area of over 20 parish councils from Sewards End to Langford as well as 3 district councils (Uttlesford, Braintree and Maldon) and 1 town council (Witham).
Who will be involved?
The The ESRT’s main partners for this project are the Environment Agency and Essex and Suffolk Water. The project is also being conducted in partnership with the North Essex Farm Cluster and the fluvial audit was conducted by JBA Consulting. We hope to use this project as a method of bringing together groups and individuals from across the catchment including (but not limited to) the North Essex Farm Cluster’s members, statutory bodies, private land owners, managers & farmers, local environmental action groups, other eNGOs and local businesses.
What will the outcome be?
At present, environmental restoration projects across the catchment are opportunistic. The restoration plan produced from the fluvial audit will identify key target sites and issues for NGOs and statutory bodies to work on. Larger scale projects will be more achievable with greater evidence of their worth and better coordination. This project is key to ensuring the long- term environmental quality of the river.
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