The last task to connect the River Otter with its floodplain is now complete, marking the end of the Lower Otter Restoration Project.

The Environment Agency, Clinton Devon Estates, representatives and project partners gathered on Thursday (14 March) to celebrate the completion of the Lower Otter Restoration Project.

The Environment Agency, working in partnership with landowner Clinton Devon Estates, started construction on the Lower Otter Restoration Project in 2021. Work included building a 30-metre flood resilient, raised road and road bridge, constructing a new 70m footbridge to ensure continuity of the South West Coast Path, which was completed in September 2023.

Other work included relocating Budleigh Salterton Cricket Club out of the floodplain; and raising and improving over 3 kms of public footpaths. The project undertook landscape improvements, working in partnership with National Landscapes, to remove over 1.5kms of overhead cables and planting over 22 thousand trees and 1.5 kilometres of species rich hedgerow.

This landscape adaptation project has set the stage to create 55 hectares of nationally rare wildlife habitat; compensating for regional habitat losses due to sea level rise.

This involved reconnecting the River Otter, estuary and floodplain and making sure was also able to make homes, businesses and community infrastructure more resilient to the effects of sea level rise and flooding from the river.

As part of Thursday’s celebration, Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency and John Varley, Chief Executive of Clinton Devon Estates, unveiled a plaque to commemorate the project.

Alan Lovell said: “The restoration of the Lower Otter River is a fine example of the strengths of collaborative working to find solutions to the impacts of climate change.

“Restoring and reconnecting the floodplains has provided multiple benefits for the wading birds which call this landscape home and the people who live locally too, with improved resilience to flooding and new opportunities to connect with the natural world.”

The Lower Otter Restoration Project site has recently been protected for the future through an extension of the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths National Nature Reserve.