Sandyford Natural Flood Management: Staffordshire Wildlife Trust

Communities along Sandon Road in Stafford have experienced flooding for decades, with around 70 properties and businesses now facing flood risk on an almost annual basis. The upper catchments of the Marston and Sandyford Brooks are small, but intense or prolonged rainfall can generate rapid runoff that overwhelms drainage systems, a challenge compounded by local subsidence associated with historic brine extraction.

This project will build on the Sandyford Brook Catchment Plan and complement existing measures being delivered by partners, including flood resilience schemes and drainage improvements. Working across the catchment, it will identify opportunities to slow, store and attenuate water before it reaches vulnerable communities.

Potential interventions include offline storage areas, pond enhancements, woodland management, runoff attenuation features, floodplain wetland restoration and leaky barriers. Together, these measures will help reduce flood risk at source while delivering wider benefits for biodiversity, water management and climate resilience.

Rivers 2040

A Rivers 2040 project is a place-based freshwater restoration initiative that contributes to the long-term recovery of river catchments through nature-based solutions. Projects can range from restoring floodplains and wetlands, improving water quality, reconnecting rivers to their natural processes, creating habitat for wildlife, reducing pollution, increasing access to nature, or helping communities become more resilient to flooding and drought.

Rivers 2040 aims to bring together multiple environmental, social and economic benefits at a catchment scale, demonstrating how investment in nature can support healthier rivers, thriving wildlife, resilient communities and sustainable economic growth.

Land ownership

Third-party owned: land owned by private individuals, businesses, public bodies, charities, or other organisations.

Delivery approach

Direct delivery: the project delivers change through on-the-ground activity within the project area, implementing interventions that restore, enhance or manage habitats and natural processes.

Project readiness

Development ready: project design is progressing, key stakeholders are being engaged, and business cases, delivery models and investment requirements are ready to be developed.

Partners and funding

Delivery of this project may be supported by a range of partners and funding mechanisms. Funding may already have been secured from multiple sources and at different stages, contributing towards the overall project value and delivery costs. Contact us to explore current funding requirements and how the project could be developed and delivered with your organisation.

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Project benefits

Nature slows the flow

Natural flood management

Natural solutions such as tree planting, reconnecting floodplains and wetland creation, slow the flow of water through catchments, helping to reduce flood risk downstream to homes and businesses. These measures support wildlife, store carbon and improve water quality too.