Kingston borough's biggest nature reserve will see its historic wetland restored as part of a major rewilding project.

Kingston Council has approved plans which aim to turn Tolworth Court Farm Fields, in Tolworth, into one of London's most pioneering nature reserves.

Kingston Council has approved plans which aim to turn Tolworth Court Farm Fields, in Tolworth, into one of London's most pioneering nature reserves (Credit: Kingston Council)

The council is working with groups Citizen Zoo and The Community Brain to rewild the 104-acre nature reserve, which is the biggest in Kingston and is made up of seven big fields.

The authority won more than £500,000 to carry out the works last year, including £238,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and £149,477 from the Mayor's Rewild London Fund.

Council officers have now approved plans to restore the nature reserve's historic wetland as part of the rewilding project.

The Hogsmill River previously flowed through a corner of the site, which acted as a floodplain, but the stream was straightened in the 1960s to reduce flooding in the area and this habitat was lost.

The scheme will see a series of ponds and wet grassland areas created in this part of the nature reserve to restore the wetland system and encourage other species to return to the site.

A 25-metre wheelchair-friendly boardwalk will be installed over the wetland to maintain access to the nature reserve.

The restored wetland aims to reduce flood risk locally by improving the site's resilience to climate change and increasingly unstable weather events.

Application documents said the rewilding project hopes to turn Tolworth Court Farm Fields into 'one of London's most pioneering nature reserves'.

The nature reserve is currently being prepared for the reintroduction of cows and pigs so they can graze, with the aim of increasing plant diversity, improving the health of the soil and creating different habitats.

A statement on Citizen Zoo's website says: "Despite being home to ancient hedgerows, a locally significant population of brown hairstreak butterflies and a small fragment of wetland, [Tolworth Court Farm Fields] is far from reaching its ecological potential.

"Our shared vision is to establish a dynamic, mixed-mosaic nature reserve that nurtures a more diverse and abundant wildlife population.

"Through innovative rewilding measures inspired by rural projects such as mixed grazing regimes, we aim to restore and enhance the site's ecological balance while honouring its rich cultural heritage."