Lower Otter Restoration Project

Last month, March 2024, some of our SWCM team were fortunate enough to have a guided tour of the Lower Otter Restoration Project by the project lead Mike Williams, recently retired from the Environment Agency.

The Lower Otter Restoration Project was undertaken by the Environment Agency and Clinton Devon Estates (who own the land around the estuary) to adapt and enhance the downstream part of the River Otter, its estuary, and its immediate surroundings.

The project was needed because the existing 200 year-old sea defences were starting to fail and becoming hard to maintain.  This was affecting public infrastructure, local businesses and homes.

This managed realignment scheme occurred where the River Otter meets the sea near Budleigh Salterton in East Devon. The aim was to restore the Lower Otter Valley to a more natural condition closer to that which existed two centuries ago, resulting in less management being required to combat the impacts of climate change.

The restoration, alongside another site in Saâne Valley in Normandy (France), is part of a larger Project PACCo (Promoting Adaptation to Changing Coasts).  This aims to restore 100 hectares of coastal wetland at the two sites to enable better management of flooding, whilst providing benefits for people and wildlife.

The project began in July 2014, planning permission was approved in early 2021, and construction completed at the end of 2023.  Part of the project also required the relocation of Budleigh Salterton Cricket Club to a new site outside the floodplain.

The visit to the Lower Otter was a very special experience for us as a team. Some of us recall the area before the project commenced and others had visited at various stages during the project itself.  A big takeaway from our trip is how much climate change is affecting our coastlines. This project highlights how important coastal monitoring is and that our work helps inform, protect and preserve our coastal areas for future generations.