An eastern section of land in Richmond Park is set to be improved.

Richmond Council has approved planning permission for improvement and maintenance works to the Beverley Brook and its surrounding land including the creation of scrapes, swales, berms, a deer gate, an in-channel linear backwater, woody debris installations and associated fencing.

As part of the works, temporary signage shall be installed as required to direct construction traffic safely to the compound and working areas.

All vehicle movements shall comply with the landowner's restrictions and the park's operating requirements and plant machinery is to be accompanied throughout the park by traffic marshals.

Additionally, A temporary site compound measuring approximately 30 m × 30 m shall be established within Robin Hood Gate Car Park, located outside Flood Zone 2 and Flood Zone 3.

The compound shall be used for:

• Storage of materials
• Site Parking
• Welfare facilities
• Temporary storage of site-won materials
• Fuel storage and refuelling of machinery

All materials not required for immediate use will be stored within the compound or removed from the site.

The compound will be secured using Heras fencing or equivalent to prevent unauthorised access and deer or other wildlife from accessing stored materials.

The applicant, For the Love of Water (FLOW) CIC says that "the scheme requires the use of significant quantities of site-won woody material for in-channel features".

It added: "The Royal Parks have commissioned a Forestry Consultant to mark up and assess where tree thinning is appropriate across the wider Richmond Park area.

"Where practicable, trees are to be taken whole, including the root plates, and temporarily stored either within the works areas (outside of the floodplain) or within the site compound.

"All tree works must be overseen by a trained and qualified professional and approved by the Royal Parks Arborist. All handling of timber shall be undertaken using appropriate lifting techniques and in accordance with relevant lifting regulations.

"Trees should be kept as intact as possible rather than cut into lengths. Where available and safe to do so, root balls should also be retained."

FLOW continued: "Three swale features shall be constructed to intercept surface water and existing land drainage flows across Richmond Park, with the aim of improving water management and supporting the wider habitat restoration works.

"All swales shall be constructed to a consistent design, with a nominal depth of 0.3 m, a base width of 0.2 m, and a top width of 3.2 m.

"The shallow profile has been selected to integrate sensitively into the surrounding landscape and minimise disturbance to the existing acid grassland habitat. All excavations to be sown with seeds provided by The Royal Parks gathered from within the wider site."

Additionally, Large woody material (LWM) fronted spoil berms shall be constructed to complement the brash-fronted spoil berms and associated bank reprofiling works along the left bank.

FLOW said: "These features shall utilise material generated from the reprofiling works, together with surplus arising from swale and scrape excavations.

"The berms are intended to replicate natural tree fall processes, introducing pseudosinuosity within the channel and increasing hydraulic and habitat diversity."

Further works are proposed with little disturbance expected for animals and any wildlife in the area.

The full application can be viewed here.