Work to conserve Castle Weir in Ludlow to get underway

Work to conserve Castle Weir, one of the foremost scenic attractions of Ludlow, is set to get underway on the River Teme below Ludlow Castle on Wednesday 4 September 2013.

The two-month project was initiated by the owners, Dinham Millennium Green Trust, a local charity body which is made up entirely of volunteers.

Considerable help with funding has come from Shropshire Council – through the Market Towns Revitalisation Programme – and from The Veolia Environmental Trust, who award grants to community and environmental projects through the Landfill Communities Fund. The council has contributed £50,000 and The Veolia Environmental Trust £48,000.

During the anticipated low water period during late summer, the plans will focus on 30 metres of the Weir – running from the rear of the Mill On The Green – and on the strengthening of stone structure along the entire length of the Weir’s ‘toe’.

Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member leading on the Market Towns Revitalisation Programme, said:

“It’s encouraging to see the project get going. The site is an important part of Ludlow for locals and tourists alike and I’m pleased to see the funds from the programme help these worthwhile works.”

Mr Paul Nicholls, Dinham Millennium Green Trust Chairman, said:

“We owe huge thanks to these two funding bodies [Shropshire Council and Veolia Environmental Trust] for their help with this phase of the work and for seeing the merit and urgency of our scheme.

“We still have considerable work to do. Plans are in the pipeline for phase 2 of the operation, which will hopefully go ahead the same period of next year. The Weir is very important to Ludlow, not least for its historical and scenic attributes, and after inspections revealed damaged structure beneath the waterline, we couldn’t afford to delay”.

Alongside the Trust’s project, The Environment Agency, with Severn Rivers Trust, plans to create a much-needed fish pass through meadowland at the Weir’s north-western end. This too must be completed quickly in order to accommodate the October/November run of salmon moving upstream to spawn. Low water in 2011 meant that many failed to make the journey.

Mr Nicholls added:

“The fish pass is not on Trust property but we are absolutely delighted to see it. We have sought and received assurances that it will not seriously divert water ‘cascading’ over the Weir. We may also have a ‘Visitor Video Link’ to salmon activity.”

Maria Cade, the acting executive of The Veolia Environmental Trust, said:

“We are so pleased to be supporting this project that will make the Weir and its surrounding area a safe and enjoyable place for the whole community. It is great to hear that work is starting and I look forward to seeing the completed results.”

For further information, please contact David Edwards on 01584 861680.

Further information

Should you require a photo, there should be activity with machinery, workmen etc. any weekday from 4 September 2013.

Landfill Tax and the Landfill Communities Fund:

Any rubbish that is thrown away and cannot be reused ends up in a landfill site. Operators of landfill sites collect tax on each tonne of landfill for HM Treasury. The purpose of this tax is to make it more expensive to put waste into landfill, in turn encouraging us to reduce our waste and recycle more.

A small proportion of this tax, currently 6.8%, can be used to support a wide range of environmental projects near landfill sites, through the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF). Through the LCF over £1 billion has been invested in UK projects. The Veolia Environmental Trust is part of the LCF, which is regulated on behalf of HM Government’s Revenue & Customs by ENTRUST. For further information, please visit www.entrust.org.uk.

The Veolia Environmental Trust has been supporting community and environmental projects for over 15 years. Since it was established in 1997, Veolia Environmental Services (UK) plc has supported the Trust by contributions of over £52 million to 1579 projects.

The Trust has helped fund a diverse range of projects, including the repair of woodland footpaths, the renovation of community halls and the installation of playgrounds and play areas. For more information, or to find out how to apply for funding, visit their website www.veoliatrust.org.