Ribble

Ok, so this summer is pretty much a washout again, but when the sun does shine, grab your shoes and head down to the Ribble - or grab your brolly and go anyway because the Ribble is beautiful whatever the weather!A particularly interesting series of events are coming up, starting this Wednesday, 3rd September - a Herbal Health Walk.We've been told that 'two lovely herbalists will be leading a walk

Welcome back to the New Continental - which opened its doors again on the banks of the River Ribble yesterday on a (rare!) sunny August afternoon! We've been very busy this summer, and our time spent by the Ribble has been a much rarer treat than we would like - and of course the summer weather has been a re-run of last year's heavy rainfall so the Ribble has been well-worth visiting to see the fa

Ribbleside residents turned out in force last Sunday to celebrate the newly designated South Ribble County Park.Around 30 residents set out from the Old Tram Bridge in Avenham Park and walked across the Country Park taking in the River Ribble......Preston Junction Nature Reserve......local meadows, woodlands, and wetlands......and Carr Wood Ancient Woodland where they found the last of the Spring

South Ribble Borough Council have announced that the Ribbleside Green Belt from Penwortham to Walton le Dale and back as far as Lostock Hall is to be designated a Country Park! Penwortham riverside, near the old Tram Bridge across the River Ribble - 5 minutes walk from Preston city centre!This announcement follows hard on the heels of South Ribble Borough Council's insistence earlier this week that the Ribble's riverbanks and Green Belt areas will be protected from development.South Ribble Borough Council have listened to the alternative ideas put forward by local people for the River Ribble and riverside Green spaces which involve protecting these unique and precious areas from disappearing for ever beneath the huge housing development, concrete walkways, roads, and businesses proposed as

South Ribble Borough Council have announced that the riverbanks along the River Ribble and the Green Belt on the South Ribble side will be protected from development in the forthcoming Regional Spatial Strategy.click on the article to read it in fullThis announcement by Cllr Cliff Hughes, South Ribble's Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Planning, follows the long campaign by local residents to protect the the River environment and Green Belt from some of the key proposals of the Riverworks project.It is a recognition of the importance of the unique Ribble environment, and the value that local people place on their green spaces.Cllr Cliff Hughes said:"Our Green Belt covers around two thirds of our borough and our vision is to protect it from development.We are extremely lucky in South Rib

The Lancashire Evening Post today report that the "floating homes" development recently proposed for the Docks and River 'does NOT include any kind of barrage across the river' BUT WILL include 'swathes of water given over to leisure and sports'.click on the image to read it in fullAccording to the LEP:'A major watersports centre could form part of the £40m "floating community" off Preston Dock' but that the developers state 'they would not look to flood the Ribble with homes'- both of which are a tad ambiguous as neither appear to suggest that they intend to leave the River Ribble out of the scheme altogether.Which raises a few questions:-What does "off" the Dock mean? ON the Dock - or near the Dock?-Are these "swathes of water" also looking at the River or just the Docks?-DO these propo

Preston Councillor Jack Davenport is warning that Preston Vision Board and Preston Council's proposals for the River Ribble still seem intent upon building all over it.As we have already reported, the Vision Board have declared their intention to develop along the River corridor, with or without a barrage;Preston Council have recently announced their proposals for floating homes on the Docks AND on the River;and proposals are due to be submitted for planning permission shortly for the construction of over 400 new houses plus businesses on the Penwortham bank at Vernon Carus.We now have an interesting situation where local Councillors both sides of the River Ribble are supporting their residents' views about the River and its environs but only one Council seems to be listening...Councillor

Ribblesiders will be alarmed to read in tonight's Lancashire Evening Post of new ideas to build floating houses and even hotels - not only on the Docks but possibly on the River Ribble.Almelo, NGM and Preston City Council have been talking about the plans, according to the LEP:"Almelo officials are looking to build a huge floating development in their town.The floating buildings would have their base hollowed out like a ship.It means they would combat the risk of flooding by rising and falling with the tide of the river.According to the Lancashire Evening Post, the project would be developed on Preston Docks AND along the banks of the Ribble and would look similar to designs pioneered in Holland and Sweden.click on the article to read it in fullHow hollow was Hudson's promise to Preston pe

Lytham St Annes Civic Society is hosting a talk about the Ribble Coast and Wetlands TONIGHT at the Lytham Assembly Rooms, beginning at 7.30pm.Laurence Rose, chairperson of the Ribble Coast and Wetlands Country Park and Regional Director of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds will be giving the presentation.This event promises to be a fascinating and informative evening, so come along if you can!The Lytham St Anne's Civic Society are actively involved in trying to protect and preserve the natural and historic environment along that stretch of the River Ribble, including trying to protect the SSSI/Ramsar/Green Belt sand dunes and the foreshore from development, sand extraction, and neglect.This is a particularly fragile area of the Ribble's ecosystem, at the mercy of the sea and th

Local residents in Broadgate are invited to a Flood Risk meeting at the Gujarat Centre on South Meadow Lane this Thursday evening 24th January at 7pm.This meeting has been organised by the local councillors for the Broadgate area as they are concerned that a number of local residents are not aware of the new flood warning system which was recently launched by the Environment Agency for the Broadgate area, and missed out on the previous meeting about this issue.It is hoped that officers from the Environment Agency will be present to explain the new warning system and the flood risk issues for the Broadgate area, how local people can best protect their homes, and how you can find out more about the benefits of registering for the warning scheme.click on the poster to enlarge it for more deta

The Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) for South Ribble and Preston and Chorley – undertaken as part of the Local Development Framework planning for the future development strategy for these areas – has finally been published and made available on Preston City Council’s website. The SFRA Final Report plus the Executive Summary and one Appendix - the Preston maps - have been posted online, although most of the Appendices referred to in the Report are not currently available on the website.As well as identifying the risks of flooding in the area – existing and future - the Final Report also shows that there are proposals for a “Major Development Site” at Riversway, which, as you can see from the big yellow block on the map below, runs across a huge area below Lea and the Larc

Following Preston City Council Leader Ken Hudson's declaration that the current Preston administration will not be pursuing the Ribble barrage scheme ("at this moment in time"), nothing has so far emerged from Preston Council to contradict this statement, apart from what looks like a magazine deadline missing the current news...Since his initial announcement at the Public Meeting organised by Save The Ribble and Riversway councillors on 20th November, Cllr Hudson has since made statements to the Lancashire Evening Post, and to Radio Lancashire just this week, which confirm this position.Today, the Lancashire Evening Post report on the confusion about the December edition of the council's Prestonian magazine which has just landed on tens of thousands of doormats this week, and features an article about Riverworks which states that "one aspect of the Riverworks exercise will be to look into the feasibility... of constructing a barrage across the river".The LEP do, however, quote Presto

HAS THE RIBBLE BEEN SAVED?It seems that the barrage scheme is about to be thrown off the agenda and into the dustbin - although it is clear that we need to ensure this does happen - and that it can't be resurrected 6 months or 6 years or 6 decades from now.In the light of Preston Council Leader Ken Hudson’s statements at the Public Meeting on Tuesday that “the barrage is dead in the water… at this moment in time”…...in the light of Cllr Hudson's comments in today's Lancashire Evening Post that:"As long as this Conservative administration is in control it will not happen."The whole of the riverside is totally dependent on South Ribble's vision of the future."As far as this administration is concerned, the barrage scheme will not be looked at."... in the light of the current Preston Corporate Plan 2006-9 which "sets out what the council want to achieve over the next three years" and includes aims to "develop Preston's river... and open up waterside sites for development in

First pictures from the packed meetingFull report belowAt the first Public Meeting about the Riverworks scheme - co-organised by Riversway Councillors and Save The Ribble Campaign - a number of experts gave their views on the Ribble barrage and Green Belt/Floodplain development proposals, and the packed meeting was able to listen to the issues first hand and ASK QUESTIONS.Meeting Rooms A and B at Preston Town Hall were filled to capacity as over 80 local residents attended the public meeting about the Riverworks Scheme and took the opportunity to express their views about the proposals to build a barrage across the River Ribble and houses and businesses on our Green Belt.Public interest in the meeting was so great that a number of residents were turned away at the door because the meeting room was full.The meeting was chaired by Councillor Bhikhu Patel, and members of the public had the opportunity to question City Councillors and listen to presentations from Leader of Preston City Cou

At yesterday's annual Ribble Forum - a conference organised by the Mersey Basin and Action Ribble Estuary for interested parties along the Ribble corridor including the RSPB, fisheries bodies, the Environment Agency, Wildlife Trust, and local Councils - the Riverworks Barrage proposal formed a key component.LOCAL RESIDENTS WILL ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO THE ARGUMENTS AND DEBATE THE ISSUES ON TUESDAY 20TH NOVEMBER IN PRESTON TOWN HALL, ROOMS A & B, FROM 7-9PM. The Forum had a series of presentations followed by a discussion session.The presentations included:- the Riverworks proposals by Mike Brogan and John Dalton of Preston City Council and South Ribble Borough Council respectively;- Councillor Tom Sharratt of Walton le Dale raising the concerns of his residents about the flood risk issues of the Ribble barrage;- and Jane Brunning of Save The Ribble Campaign who outlined the key issues of concern about the barrage scheme.The Riverworks presentation outlined the key i

Calling all Ribblesiders!There is to be a PUBLIC MEETING on Tuesday November 20th from 7-9pm at the Town Hall in Preston, Rooms A & Bwhere you will get the opportunity to listen to the issues about the Ribble barrage & the building developments proposed for the Green Belt/floodplain in Penwortham, and ask questions. Preston Councillor, Bhikhu Patel, is arranging the meeting. There will be a number of speakers, details will be posted on the blog once these are confirmed, but this is YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO COME AND LISTEN TO THE ISSUES AND ASK QUESTIONS. This is also your opportunity to come and show your support for the Save The Ribble Campaign so book the evening of 20th November in your diary!More details to follow, once all speakers are confirmed. you can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Riversway Councillor Jack Davenport made his point about the blindness of the leadership of Preston City Council to issues of flood risk around drainage and flood defences near the Ribble very vividly at the last City Council meeting, he produced two sandbags which he proceeded to place at in front of Council leader Ken Hudson and his ally Danny Gallagher, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Preston.According to the Lancashire Evening Post Jack Davenport's "attention grabbing stunt" was a protest over the "plans to build homes on flood plains near the River Ribble... sand was spilled all over council papers and prompted a furore in the chamber over how the bags got past Town Hall security"The protest came a month after the Council flatly refused to debate a motion about the risk of flooding to Preston residents - the council leaders preferring to put the interests of the developers interested in the Riverworks Project ahead of the interests of Preston People.Council Leader Ken Hudson t

BREAKING NEWS... RIBBLE BARRAGE GOES BACK TO DRAWING BOARD!!The Lancashire Evening Post are reporting today that Preston City Council Chief Executive Jim Carr has stated that the Ribble barrage and the 'plans to redevelop an area of the river in the city and neighbouring South Ribble' have 'gone back to the drawing board'.you can click on the picture to read the LEP article in full...The LEP report that whilst 'plans to solve the blue-green algae problem and fix aging gates at Preston Dock will press ahead', Mr. Carr has stated that:"The riverside element has taken a step back from where we were (before the local elections earlier this year) because of the political changes here and in South Ribble".Mr Carr continued:"What we are now relying on is discussing this between the leaders to see what is acceptable to them. Much of the development is in South Ribble and now it is an issue of whether it wants to progress this". Luckily for the River Ribble, our environment, and our commu

The body responsible for Angling interests on the Ribble - and consequently concerned with the health of the River Ribble and its ecosystem - have published their position paper regarding the Ribble barrage proposal.The Ribble Fisheries Consultative Association are unreservedly opposed to the Ribble barrage scheme as they argue that "The building of a barrage across the Ribble most certainly constitutes the greatest threat yet to migratory fish and would irrevocably change the ecology of the whole river system."Their position is strongly supported by the Anglers Conservation Association (ACA), whose own position opposing the Ribble barrage is also published below the RFCA position statement.'RIBBLE FISHERIES CONSULTATIVE ASSOCIATIONPROPOSED RIBBLE BARRAGE – POSITION PAPERWHO ARE WE?The RFCA is the umbrella organisation that represents angling interests on the Ribble Catchment. We represent the majority of angling clubs and riparian owners on the Ribble Catchment. We have close links

Anglers are getting increasingly angry about the way Preston City Vision Board and Preston City Council are pushing forward their proposals for a barrage across the Ribble.Ian, who works as a River Keeper on the Ribble, said in his blog "Keeper's Blog " It's good to note the very robust attitude that the Ribble Fisheries Consultative have taken with Preston Council over this issue. The Council's Chief Exec has been left in no doubt about the strength of feeling amongst anglers that the barrage will be hugely detrimental to the river environment and that RFC will take legal action should the council proceed with its plans. He continues As things stand at present the plan is to conduct a feasibility study to determine cost and environmental impact and any decision about building the barrage will be taken in the light of the findings of this study. The problem is that we don't know the criteria on which the council will base their decision such as what is acceptable cost and what envi

The River Ribble is at "an increased risk of flooding" over the next six months, through Autumn and into Winter. This increased floodrisk is due to the high levels of rainfall we are experiencing this year, which has had the effect of saturating the Ribble's floodplains pretty much to capacity with no prospect of drying out before the wet Autumn that forecasters are predicting begins. The extraordinarily high levels of rain that have already fallen this Summer are 200% above the average from May to July, making the ground saturated throughout the Ribble corridor, particularly on the low-lying floodplains. These figures have been released by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, whose statistics also show that:'the speed of the River Ribble is 465% faster than average and that the water saturated in the soil is at an exceptionally high level.' according to This Is Lancashire. Ribbleside residents are eternally grateful for our floodplain areas which have protected our communities f

For the opening event in the first ever Ribble Coast & Wetlands Walking Festival, Save the Ribblers organised a Ribble Way Walk along the river banks from the Old Tram Bridge connecting the Penwortham Green Belt to Avenham & Miller Parks to Brockholes Wetland. The route for this walk was chosen as an ideal opportunity to celebrate the designation of the Ribble as a Regional Park and Brockholes Wetland as the latest - and biggest - Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve in Britain, and the latest addition to the Ribble's Wetlands. Brockholes Wetland Nature Reserve.The River Ribble at Brockholes.A keen band of Ribblesiders from South Ribble and Preston had a very enjoyable day - despite the occasional drizzle - spotting a huge number of bird, plant, and insect life along the Ribble's banks...It was low tide when we left the Tram Bridge, a great time to spot the numerous bird species feeding in the exposed riverbed - or interrupting their breakfast to watch us as we watch them!As we moved furt

As part of the Ribble Coast & Wetlands Regional Park's Walking Festival, Ribbleside residents are Walking the Ribble Way to the Wildlife Trust's new Wetland Nature Reserve at Brockholes.It will be an all-day event, walking upriver to the Wildlife Trust's new Brockholes Wetland Nature Reserve. We will be starting from the Tram Bridge over the Ribble between Avenham & Miller Parks and Penwortham, and walking the Ribble Way upriver, past the Shawes Arms, Mete House, and Mellings Wood, through to Brockholes Wetland.You can enjoy many happy hours by the riverbank whatever the weather!Come and join us for a fabulous day out by the Ribble!The full details are:Start time: 10.30am on Saturday 4th AugustMeeting place: On the Old Tram Bridge over the Ribble, between Penwortham and Avenham & Miller Parks, PrestonLength of walk (miles): Approximately 8 miles in total: 2 hours walking alongside the Ribble each way, plus a picnic lunch (bring your own). The expected finish time is approximately 4.

David Borrow MP, A prominent member of the Preston City Vision Board, and former leader of Preston City Council has strongly criticised the council's handling of the Riverworks Project and said "The brakes need to be applied" to the Barrage and Housing elements of the plans - "and proper joint working put in place".He makes very angry statements about the way Preston City Council has ignored the views of his South Ribble constituents: The ex-Preston Council leader said the authority had shown "complete disregard" for the views of people in South Ribble, despite Penwortham river banks believed to be targets for a major housing development under the scheme. He has written a very strongly worded letter to Preston City Council saying I will not allow the views of my constituents to be ignored and South Ribble Council to be treated like a small parish council. There are many councillors on Preston City Council too who are equally unhappy about the lack of consultation and democratic acco

A survey of residents carried out by the Lancashire Evening Post (LEP) shows that an overwhelming 74% of people do not want Preston City Council’s Barrage (LEP front page 30/6/07). As a group of local residents, the results of this survey come as no surprise to the Save the Ribble Campaign. Since Preston City Council first unveiled its Riverworks project in 2005 we have campaigned against their proposal to construct a barrage on the Ribble and build on our green belt and floodplain, highlighting the disastrous consequences for our environment and local communities.The LEP survey shows that residents are opposed to the barrage primarily because of its threat to wildlife and the environment, as well as because of concerns about flooding, and because they think it is simply unnecessary.Residents are very aware that a barrage on the Ribble would interfere with its delicate ecosystem and have catastrophic effects on the wildlife that depends on the most important estuary River in Britai

Broadgate resident Richard Merrick is entering the ‘Run Preston’ 10k Race as a ‘Save The Ribble’ Runner, to oppose the Riverworks Barrage and housing scheme, and to raise awareness of the beauty and importance of the River Ribble.Richard Merrick pauses to admire the River RibbleI went to interview Richard, and to photograph him getting ready for the event with a training session.Richard, a Theatre Nurse began running less than a year ago to help lose weight and get fit. "I changed my diet, cut out alcohol and started running regularly along the banks of the Ribble. Since then I’ve lost over four and a half stone and feel much healthier.”“I love running by the Ribble, every time you run by it, you see something different, it has so many moods and so much to offer. Sometimes the tide is in and the sun reflects beautifully off the rippling waters, and sometimes while you run you can see the birds feeding on the exposed mud banks“.Richard has been a Broadgate resident for 1

Yes.Were we glad that the Ribble doesn't have a barrage, keeping the riverwater at a permanent high level so that the tide never goes out?You bet.Today's torrential downpour caused chaos and several flooded streets in Penwortham and Broadgate...Some houses suffered flooding......and Middleforth really lived up to its name.Leyland Road was one of the worst affected, several shops suffered flooding......and the wash caused by the traffic didn't help matters......although it also brought a great deal of laughter and enjoyment!To our relief, the flash flood coincided with low water levels on the Ribble...... so the drains quickly took the flood waters into the Ribble to safely drain away......the force of the waters gushing through the large number of drains into the Ribble was a loud and impressive sight......but they did the job quickly and efficiently so that less than one hour later......it was as though it had never happened...... although those houses and shops which did experienc

As well as local residents Spring Cleaning the Ribble riverbank this friday, BBC Radio Lancashire, as part of the BBC Breathing Places campaign, has asked our local councils to bid for a visit from the BBC 'swat team' to clean up a public space or park that's a bit of a 'grot spot' to create a place where people can enjoy their natural surroundings. They've given it the great name of "Weed it and Reap"!!You can vote now, for the South Ribble bid for the Ribbleside habitat of Church Woods/Castle Hill, overlooking the Ribble at St. Mary's Church, Penwortham.If you have trouble voting on-line, you can also text "vote south ribble" to 07786201955. Church Woods and Castle Hill (or Motte as the old form would have it) is situated just above Priory Park, by the Ribble close to Penwortham New Bridge (Liverpool Road bridge), and is also accessible from Liverpool Road in Penwortham.Why does it deserve the Swat Team treatment?"This shaded woodland valley is a tranquil area close to St Mary

What fantastic weather we are having, now a rather cold and wet May has given way to flaming June- so why not take Friday off, have another long weekend while the weather lasts, and spend a few hours by the riverbank!Our Ribble Spring Clean is this Friday, 8th June, so come down to the Ribble and give something back to our beautiful river!And the Ribble is looking fantastic, lush greenery and cool water, bird song and butterflies...We will be litter-picking and removing the invasive Himalayan Balsam - before it seeds! - and the Ribble Basin Campaign, Environment Agency and Lancashire County Council will be helping by providing grabber sticks, gloves, bags and skips - and bringing grappling equipment to remove that old metal junk off our fabulous mudflats!We are meeting at 10am on the riverbank behind Margaret Road in Penwortham - on the opposite bank from the Continental and the cricket ground in Broadgate - and Spring Cleaning until 2pm. Bring your own lunch, plenty to drink - and sun

The Robbie Ribble Colouring Competition has seen a steady trickle of pictures coming in... it was hard to decide which were the best three as they were all GREAT!!! So thanks to all of you for sending them in!The overall Winner is this fabulously bright and colourful one sent in by Laura S of Dublin - it also gets a special mention for coming so far!! Thanks Laura, it's great!Our second Winner is Hattie B of Penwortham, a lovely picture - beautifully and carefully shaded - thanks Hattie!!!And our Third Winner is a brightly-coloured picture with a very cross-looking Robbie Ribble from Charlie of Frenchwood - thanks Charlie!!!And a Special Mention must go to our young friend "I" who has sent in another of those fabulous pictures - this one of the Seagulls on the gas pipes waiting for the tide to go out so they can have their lunch! Thanks "I"!!!The adults have been sending in Ribble contributions too...Bob has sent us some more of his fantastic photos of the Ribble.Not only does Bob hop

Fancy spending a Spring day messing about by the river instead of cooped up at work? Then we have just the thing for you!Local residents in South Ribble and Preston are spending Friday 8th June Spring Cleaning the Ribble's riverbanks in Penwortham and Broadgate.Come along and give something back to our fantastic river, and have a Grand Day Out at the same time!We will be meeting at 10am on the riverside green area behind Margaret Road, Penwortham - opposite the Continental pub and riverside BAE cricket ground, between Penwortham Old Bridge and the Preston Station railway bridge ->- and Spring Cleaning the riverbanks until 2pm.We will be litter-picking and removing the alien plant species Himalayan Balsam (which suppresses native British plant species), and the Environment Agency and Ribble Basin Campaign will be helping out too, and will be using special lifting gear to remove that old metal junk off the Ribble's fabulous mudflats!If we get enough helpers, we hope to clear up good s

Yesterday showed a resounding pro-Ribble and pro-Green Belt result in the local elections in both Preston and South Ribble...... and a resounding NO to the Ribble Barrage vote in the LEP poll!These results reflect the impact our campaign has had in countering the developer's propaganda, and the common sense of ordinary Preston and South Ribble people.In Preston, Bhikhu Patel, John Swindells, and Michael Lavalette were all re-elected as local Councillors, and all vociferously opposed the Ribble Barrage as part of their campaign. They have all made it clear they are deeply concerned about the environmental implications of the barrage proposal, and have raised their concerns about the Riverworks building developments proposed for our green spaces and flood plain.In South Ribble, the Conservatives made massive gains – taking overall majority of the Council – after their strong campaign which included the core promise that they ‘are committed to fighting ANY moves to build on [South

It emerged yesterday during a Preston City Council committee meeting to discuss the Preston Vision Board that a bid for a £235,000 grant from the North West Development Agency to complete a feasibility study into the building of a barrage on the Ribble will be made this municipal year 2007/8, with the study carried out the following year, 2008/9.It was made clear this will go ahead despite the concerns expressed by the Environment Agency, the RSPB, Michael Jack MP for Fylde, and many others.In making this decision Preston City Council is intent on ignoring the advice of the Environment Agency, the RSPB and other environmental organisations, and the opposition of local residents, some local councillors and neighbouring councils.The decision also makes a mockery of Preston City Council's repeated assertions that the barrage scheme is "ideas" only and reveals their true intention to pursue the barrage at all costs.Council officials revealed that, in discussions on the proposed sites for

Riversway has one council seat up for grabs in the Preston City Council Elections, May 2007. The ward includes the Broadgate areas, which is one of the areas that will be most affected by the increased flood risk and other adverse side effects of the Riverworks Barrage and the associated floodplain housing proposals. The issue of the barrage could be crucial in deciding who is elected.Now we have clear statements on Riverworks from the two main candidates in the election.Sitting Councillor, former Mayor Bhiku Patel in the latest 'Riversway Labour Rose' seems to speak for all 3 Labour councillors in the ward when he says "We have recently carried out an extensive consultation regarding the Vision Board's proposals for developing the docks and the barrage across the River Ribble. We support the views of the residents who are against the proposal to build the barrage" Bhiku says he is more in touch with local residents because he is the only candidate to actually live in the Broadgate

In a week when Preston City Council has been branded “Nobby No Mates” over its failure to persuade South Ribble Borough Council to join its unitary status bid, key members of another neighbouring community have spoken out against Preston City Council’s barrage scheme and are demanding to know why they have not been consulted about the proposals.In their leading articles, both the Kirkham and Fylde Express, and the Lytham St Annes Express, (April 19th 2007) reported on the Riverworks proposals to build a barrage on the River Ribble “as part of an £800m project to make Preston the third city of the North West, with 4,000 new homes, leisure, offices and shops around the new waterways, rivalling other prestigious marinas like Salford Quays”. The papers report that one possible location for the barrage is near Freckleton, just three miles from Lytham.River Douglas (Asland) joins the Ribble, taken from Freckleton Naze - at one of the potential sites for Preston City Council's pro

Tory MP Eric Pickles claimed in Parliament yesterday that Preston City Council's continued wish to abolish Lancashire County Council and merge with South Ribble Borough in a unified Authority is so that they can "build all over" South Ribble. The Lancashire Evening Post reported yesterday, only partly reproduced online, that not just Preston City Council but also Preston MP Mark Hendrick wants to see Preston, South Ribble, Chorley and parts of West Lancashire unified as one Local authority. Hendrick said Lancashire should be split into a "neat jigsaw" of unitary authorities, but shadow Local Government spokesperson Eric Pickles said such a blueprint would simply lead to the urban sprawl of Preston.’John Collins, Labour Leader of Preston City Council, has dismissed Eric Pickles claims that they want to "build all over" South Ribble, saying:‘We already work with South Ribble and… Chorley and… other areas. We’re not looking to expand all over South Ribble – I think that’s a

As part of the various events at RSPB Marshside, Dr. Alan Bedford from Edge Hill University and Graham Clarkson of the RSPB gave a fascinating talk about how the Ribble Estuary works. You can find out more about walks, talks, and other wildlife events at RSPB Marshside.The River Ribble: an intricate and dynamic Wetland Ecosystem.We know that the Ribble’s inter-tidal ecosystem is a combination of fresh and salt waters, silts and nutrients, which give rise to the unique mudflats and saltmarshes in the Lower Ribble and particularly in the Estuary, and that the Ribble Estuary is such an incredibly rich habitat that the Ribble’s importance to wildlife is on an International scale.Yet this ecosystem is a dynamic habitat, changing not just with the tides and the Seasons, but even in the space of a few hours.The salinity of the Ribble’s Estuary is one of those elements which varies enormously, even in the course of a single day. Not only do the tides themselves vary - the height of the t

The Ribble is one of the most important places in Europe for wildlife… its designation as a Regional Park - the Ribble Coast & Wetlands, officially launched on Friday 23rd March 2007 - is a positive and exciting step forwards in showing how protecting the Ribble’s inter-tidal ecosystem, for now and for future generations, will also boost the local economy. Ribble saltmarsh at Marshside near Southport.As a Regional Park, offering greater access to the Ribble’s dynamic and irreplaceable habitats, the Ribble will boost income from eco-friendly tourism opportunities by £115 million or more every year…... and that’s just the new visitors who will be attracted to the Ribble's numerous current attractions, including Marshside Nature Reserve, Ainsdale and Birkdale Sandhills, the Ribble Discovery Centre, and Lytham Nature Reserve, not to mention new reserves in the near future such as Hesketh Out Marsh, the Tarleton to Hesketh Bank Linear Park, and the Sefton Natural Coast, and exte

Save The Ribble are delighted about the news that the Ribble Coast and Wetlands Regional Park is to go ahead.This development, which is safe, sustainable and environmentally sound will attract visitors from all over the country to enjoy the beauty of the Ribble's estuary and Wetlands, admire it's rich and diverse wildlife, including it's 250000 wild birds and be able to walk and cycle in the area.This development taps the true economic potential of the Ribble: for wildlife tourism and will be a huge asset not just to Preston and South Ribble, but to the whole of the North West.Of course, if the Council and the Preston Vision Board were to get their way, and build a barrage across the Ribble, much of the potential of this park could be destroyed. The wildlife of the Estuary and Wetlands that this park will be built on depend on the free flow of silts down the river for their habitats, a flow of silts which a barrage would prevent - in a similar way to which the Glen Canyon barrage at

The Birdwatching community is very excited at the news that rare birds have been sighted in the Ribble.Green Winged Teal in the Ribble (image by Colin Bushell)These include The Green Winged Teal Colin Bushell reports on his blog: Despite "negative news" on the Green-winged Teal this morning, I decided to take the short drive out to the Ribble Estuary to check RSPB Marshside because of the delightful weather. Female Scaup still present on the pool along with a couple of Pochard and Avocets - not much change since my last visit a couple of days previously. On arrival at the Sandgrounders Hide I immediately spotted the drake Green-winged Teal swimming towards me in the channel. Easy! Relaxed, I spent some time in the hide watching the teal, Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets before strolling out in the afternoon sunshine to Polly's Creek.Black Tailed Godwit (picture from http://www.stevenround-birdphotography.com/ )While Bob's Birding Blog reports:A round-the-clock nest protection operati

The Save The Ribble Winter Wildlife Walk on Sunday 28th January, in which we were joined by the Preston Society, was a great afternoon out by the Ribble. More than 50 assorted local Penwortham and Preston residents (with assorted pooches and pushchairs) walked from the Old Tram Bridge downriver to Priory Park, then back upriver and finishing just past the Broadgate mudflats on Old Penwortham Bridge.The Kingfishers by the Tram Bridge were ever elusive (except when you least expect them of course!), but Goosander were around from here right down to the furthest end of the walk, as was a Moorhen and a good number of Mallard.On this first stretch, alongside the Ribble and the Penwortham Green Belt, there were Long Tailed Tits and a Wren in the hawthorn alongside the meadow, Thrushes on the meadow itself, and a single Redshank on the mudflats nearest the Tram Bridge, and unusually for such shy birds this one didn't seem to mind the impressive and impressed crowd one bit…The Herons at th

Save The Ribble welcomes the fact that some local councillors are asking local people their opinions in a consultation about proposed developments on the Docks . This is not an official Preston Council consultation but one organised by local Councillors in some wards of Preston only, in response to residents' concerns, and it is taking place above and beyond any consultation exercise Preston Council may engage in, should it do so at some point in the future... We also welcome the principled stand of John Swindells , who has gone one step further and said that he will oppose the Riverworks Barrage proposal. We hope other councillors will soon start listening to and representing the interests of their electors by emulating Councillor Swindells. In the Docks consultation exercise, we welcome that the individual aspects of the Riverworks proposals are being treated as individual proposals as some elements of the overall project may have some merit. As such, each needs to be present

Save The Ribble are calling all Ribblers to join ourselves and The Preston Society for a Winter Wildlife Walk along the banks of the River Ribble in Penwortham and Preston on Sunday 28th January.We will begin at 1.30 pm, and expect the Walk to take the whole afternoon to allow for leisurely Wildlife-Watching, very slow walkers, and plenty of doggy explorations along the way (approximately 3 hours altogether) - although, as we will be very local, you can easily leave earlier if you wish!The Ribble Winter Wildlife Walk will begin at the Old Tram Bridge (between Avenham & Miller Parks and the Penwortham Green Belt) at 1.30pm, moving downriver alongside Preston Junction Nature Reserve and the Penwortham mudflats here, continuing past Old Penwortham Bridge and through Penwortham Holme (past the Penny Holme allotments on one side and the Broadgate mudflats on the other), crossing over Liverpool Road (carefully!) and continuing alongside the Ribble down Holme Road, passing the Preston allotme

The Wildlife Trust are running a series of countryside craft events at the Fishwick Bottoms Local Nature Reserve over the next few weeks, these are: Coppicing on Saturday the 27th Jan, Hedge-laying on Saturday the 10th Feb, Charcoal Making on the 24th Feb, The aim is to meet at the Car Park next to the athletics track on London Road at 10.00 am and work until 13.00pm, or longer if people wish. These events will be actively improving the Nature Reserve's habitats, and will be both informative and fun. Come along and get your hands dirty! You can email us with your experiences on these events at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk and we'll put them on the blog! **** Save The Ribble are calling all Ribblers to join ourselves and The Preston Society for a Winter Wildlife Walk along the banks of the River Ribble in Penwortham and Preston on Sunday 28th January. We will begin at 1.30 pm, and expect the Walk to take the whole afternoon to allow for leisurely Wildlife-Watching, very slow wal

Councillor John Swindells who represents University Ward on Preston City Council has expressed support for the Save the Ribble Campaign and has urged local residents to get involved in the debate about Riverworks.In a recent letter sent to the Lancashire Evening Post, Councillor Swindells explains his concerns for the future of the River Ribble and the threat posed by aspects of the Riverworks scheme:"As cabinet member for environment & sustainability I welcome the decisionof my fellow Labour councillors in Riversway to start the consultation onthe Riverworks project and I urge all Prestonians to get involved in the debate.Whilst welcoming many of the proposals to enhance the dock I personallyfeel the formation of a weir / barrage is a step too far. With the planet under threat as never before we should be doing all we can to preserve and conserve our precious environment. The River Ribble is a joy to behold and a precious gift to us all that weshould not do anything to change withou

It's 2007 already, and Save The Ribble intend it to be a year where there is NO barrage built in the River Ribble, and no more housing built in it's floodplain.In fact we aim to have the same resolution for 2008, 2009, 2010....We hope that if we can get enough people to stand up for their river and the greenbelt in the Central Lancashire City Consultation then we will be able to guarantee that these threats to local people and the environment are totally ruled out at least until 2027, we want the Ribble Floodplain to be guaranteed as a green breathing space for City and Country dwellers alike in the forthcoming Local Development Frameworks.Some people have accused us of saying that the Riverworks barrage and housing schemes are a 'foregone conclusion' - this is a ridiculous allegation, without even the slightest bit of logic. Indeed, what would be the point of our groups existence if we believed this to be true? Campaigning against a barrage that is a foregone conclusion would be l

It takes a big man to admit they were wrong... The surprise news of the day is that the merger between Preston and South Ribble Councils is off. South Ribble Council changed its mind, in what must be one of the greatest U-turns in its history, under the overwhelming pressure of public opinion and voted last night not to go ahead. We can only salute the councillors of South Ribble for being brave enough to admit that they were wrong to support this merger idea, and for representing public opinion by rejecting it. We at Save The Ribble got it wrong too - we were convinced that South Ribble's councillors would fall into line with current practice by politicians both nationally and locally which is to forge ahead with their agendas making only a token gesture toward consultation - we are very glad to be proven wrong, as without the merger it will be far more difficult for Preston to push ahead its 'Riverworks' ideas. This sudden and unexpected change of heart is an immense blow to P

The surprise news of the day is that the merger between Preston and South Ribble Councils is off. South Ribble Borough Council voted last night not to go ahead, after listening to the overwhelming pressure of public opinion. We can only salute the councillors of South Ribble for being brave enough to admit that they were wrong to support this merger idea, and for representing public opinion by rejecting it. Without the merger it will be far more difficult for Preston to push ahead its 'Riverworks' ideas. This sudden and unexpected change of heart is an immense blow to Preston City Council's leaders, who now see their big business inspired "expansion and growth at any cost' agenda overwhelmingly rejected by ordinary people. Suspicion of the "Riverworks' proposals and fear for what they might mean for the greenbelt between Preston and South Ribble was one of several factors that led many people to oppose this merger. Almost 90% of local residents who responded to South Ribbl

Pink-footed geese at RSPB Marshside. Save the Ribble Campaign are concerned that recommendations contained in the HM Treasury-commissioned Planning Review could further threaten our River and Green Belt by making it easier for Preston City Council to pursue its Riverworks project. Not surprisingly for a report written by the Bank of England policy maker Kate Barker, the emphasis of the review is on removing uncertainties to accelerate decision-making around major planning projects to the benefit of business interests and economic growth. It recommends that planning applications should be approved unless there are strong reasons against them, and that streamlining the planning process could save businesses and local authorities hundreds of millions of pounds.The Institute of Directors has welcomed the report as "one of the most sensible things to have come out of the Treasury in years.” The Campaign to Protect Rural England is concerned that, in the Review, "overall there i

At a time when the government is planning to make it easier for developers to build over green belt land and a time when our council leaders seem determined to ignore local views on unitary authority status, we feel that it has never been more important for the people who live near the River Ribble to stand up and defend our beautiful river.Preston City Council has irresponsible and dangerous ideas to build a barrage across the River Ribble and over 4000 houses in its floodplain, on the beautiful green belt land that divides Preston from South Ribble. These ideas are contained in the councils over-hyped and under-scrutinised Riverworks Proposals.Local people love the Ribble and our green spaces, in all seasons, at all tides, and in all nature's moods...Save The Ribble has been campaigning since the launch of our blog to give the pro-Ribble Response of local people to these proposals.Our members and supporters include (in no particular order):* Anglers, who want to keep the river tidal

The Save The Ribble Blog has been given national recognition: In a list of the Top 100 'Green Blogs' we come in at number 13. This is an incredible achievement given the high quality of some of the blogs and bloggers lower down the list, the short time that we have been blogging (only for the last 9 months) and the local focus of our blog in what is a list featuring bloggers from all over the UK. It feels amazing to be ranked alongside the likes of Peter Tatchell and George Monbiot Judges from the 'Daily (Maybe) Blog marked each blog out of ten on the following 10 areas: design; frequency of posting; writing ability; personality; comment; humour; range; interaction; popularity and independence of thought, we don't yet know what scores we got in each area, and we think we dropped a couple of points on design by using the rather ubiquitous 'Son of Moto' blog template, but we definitely must be doing something right! What The Judges Thought Here is what JimJay of the Daily M

The River Ribble is looking more beautiful than ever at the moment. The trees that line the river are every shade of golden brown, from auburn, deep reds and fantastic golds, oranges and yellows. We know that there are many photographers out there who have taken fantastic images of our river and the green cathedral of natural beauty amid which it nestles. If you want to see your images posted online, in defence of one of England's most magnificent rivers, and most environmentally significant estuaries, please send us your photographs. We will publish the best online, on this blog, as a way of showing the world just how beautiful and unspoiled our river is - and exactly what we could lose, should the council continue down the line indicated in its initial Riverworks proposals, where they suggest barraging the Ribble, and building thousands of houses and businesses in the Ribble floodplain/Greenbelt. Send your photos to: savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk We will publish the most outstanding

Save the Ribble campaigners braved the wind and rain to participate in Preston FM's 'I Care' Day today. Despite the gales and freezing conditions, we enjoyed ourselves and got the message out to lots of new people - we did not meet a single person who was in favour of the Riverworks proposals, instead the mood of passers by and participants was overwhelmingly pro-Ribble - Preston people love their river as it is, without the interference of greedy developers and their friends in the council, without a barrage that would disrupt the river's natural tidal flow and destroy wildlife habitats, and without a huge housing estate instead of beautiful green spaces on the River's banks. Here are some photos of the day: A young Prestonian with the right priorities Preston FM DJs had to hang on to the marquee to stop it from being blown away! "I'm not cold..." Next time, we will use permanent marker... We huddle for shelter from the rain. Preston's Amnesty In

If you care about the River Ribble and our green spaces, come along to Preston FM Radio's "I Care" Event on Saturday 11th November on Preston Flag Market! Preston's local community radio station is organising the "I Care" event to provide a platform for local people to show what they care about. The whole event starts at 10 am until 5 pm, but whatever time you can make it, try to get there for the mass "I Care" demonstration at 3pm!! There will be media coverage and stalls, as well as the demonstration at 3pm. Local people love the Ribble and our green spaces, in all seasons, at all tides, and in all nature's moods... One of Jon's beautiful pictures of the Ribble at the stillness of high tide... One of Bob's beautiful photographs showing the Ribble and her mudflats in Broadgate and Penwortham at low tide - Bob has been taking a photo of the Ribble on the first Tuesday of every month for years... The River Ribble's shining waters from the Old Tram Bridge in Ave

Why South Ribble and Preston residents oppose the Preston Riverworks proposals:1. to build a barrage across the River Ribble;2. to develop on the Ribbleside Green spaces: on the South Ribble side of the river, opposite Avenham and Miller Parks; and on Frenchwood Rec and Fishwick Bottoms.-The barrage would irreversibly damage the entire ecosystem of the River Ribble and Estuary which is an area of International importance to wildlife.-The Ribble supports more bird species in internationally important numbers than any other site in the UK, and is one of the top 3 UK Wetland sites, alongside the Wash and Morecambe Bay. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is opposed to this barrage.-The Ribble is also a vital site for migratory fish, including Atlantic Salmon (the 10th Most Threatened species in Europe) and Sea Trout, all of whom depend on the tidal behaviour of the river. The Ribble Fisheries Consultative Association are working with the Environment Agency and the Ribble Catchme

People from all over Preston and South Ribble are beginning to realise the danger posed to our homes and to the environment by proposals put together by Preston City Council, South Ribble Borough Council, North West Development Agency and British Waterways. These are the Riverworks proposals, and include ideas to:1: build a barrage on the Ribble to create a water sports facility on the Ribble through Preston and South Ribble;2: build a huge urban development on the Ribble's Green Belt and floodplain - including our meadows and woodlands, football pitches and allotments in Penwortham, South Ribble, and other urban developments on Frenchwood Rec and Fishwick Bottoms in Preston.This is a map of part of the flood plain of the River Ribble, taken from the Environment Agency's website - Guess where Riverworks want to build over 4000 new houses...(You can check the flood risk for your own area by going to the Environment Agency's site, and typing in your postcode. When you get there you wi

Local residents in Preston and South Ribble are invited by their Local Authorities to get involved in the consultations for the drawing up of the Local Development Framework for both areas.The Local Development Frameworks are being co-ordinated by Preston and South Ribble Councils, and include plans to "facilitate the development of the river environs and are currently making the case for the development of the Ribble Corridor to be embedded in the new Regional Spatial Strategy now being prepared by Government Office North West” (Preston City Council River City Project section 3.9)The Save The Ribble Campaign therefore urge all Ribbleside residents to get involved in the consultation process for the Local Development Framework (LDF). The LDF will be the blueprint for how the South Ribble and Preston sections of the Ribble corridor develop over the coming years, particularly in relation to the development and use of land. These documents are under construction for both Preston and S

The River Ribble and its Estuary, and our Green Belt/floodplain areas are locally, nationally, and internationally important to wildlife, as well as important to local communities.This is why the Ribble is protected by UK, EU, and International law, why the Green Belt has been protected from development for decades, and why the Environment Agency recommend that no building development should be allowed on the floodplain, or other areas at Significant Risk of flooding. Local residents are concerned about the potentially devastating effects that certain elements of the Riverworks proposals would have on the environment (particularly a Ribble Barrage or weir, and building developments on the Ribble's Green Belt which is also its floodplain), both in terms of wildlife and the ecosystem, and in terms of potentially increasing flood risk to our communities.In response to our concerns, has there been an assurance that no such scheme will be pursued? No: there appears instead to have been an

Just a quick plug for a couple of blogs regarding one of our local rivers, the Ribble. Internationally important for it's diverse ecosystem it meanders 75 miles from West Yorkshire through Lancashire into the Irish Sea.The Ribble Cycle DiariesA blog dedicated to the River Ribble, one of Britain's last great wilderness areas, full of wild beauty, with many moods and seasons as it meanders through its Green Belt and Floodplains.Save The RibbleDedicated to preserving the beauty of the River Ribble, and opposing the Riverworks 'vision' to build a barrage and develop green spaces, causing damage to wildlife and the environment and increasing the risk of flooding to our homes.Tags: environment, lancashire, river ribble, wildlife