Beck restoration plan to boost wildlife habitats

A stretch of a city beck could be restored to help boost habitats for wildlife.

The proposal by St Nicks environmental charity involves work on Tang Hall Beck, a stretch of waterway running through Heworth Holme in York.

Works to a 1,475 ft (450m) stretch of the beck in Heworth Park, behind Walney Avenue, are set to include re-profiling banks and adding wood debris and new plants.

The charity said it wanted to engage locals in the restoration project, which aimed to boost the beck's water quality as well as improving habitats.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service the scheme would be undertaken by St Nicks and the Environment Agency as part of York Urban Becks, which the council is also collaborating on.

Plans lodged with City of York Council state the project would include planting a diverse range of plants aimed at improving habitats for invertebrates, amphibians, birds and mammals.

If the plans are approved community volunteers would be drafted in to help seed the new plants.

The York Urban Becks project began in 2017 and has focused on the Tang Hall and Osbaldwick becks.

Results from the project so far include water voles moving into a stretch of Osbalwick Beck, which runs through York's Hull Road Park.

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