Coca-Cola Europacific Partners: Broomfield Park Wetland
Improving water quality, reducing flood risk, and providing habitats for wildlife, as well as a new community space through urban wetlands.
What we know
The Rivers Trust, Enfield Council with Thames21 and support from The Coca-Cola Foundation, designed and created a 3000m2 wetland in Broomfield Park, North London.
The focus was to improve the water quality in the nearby Pymmes Brook, a tributary of the Lower Lea which is one of the more polluted rivers in the UK.
A surface water sewer running through the park drains an urban area of 34 hectares and carries a range of pollutants, including metals, nutrients, and hydrocarbons.
Alongside pollution, the project aimed to help reduce local flood risk and improve green spaces for the local community.
What we’re doing
The partnership set out to divert the flow from the sewer pipe into a newly constructed wetland, reducing the pollution before it reaches the brook.
The wetland also provided a new green space for the local community and wildlife and helped reduce local flood risk.
To achieve this, we used a ground-work contractor to excavate the wetland area and use the remaining earth to build a landscaped hillside in the park.
Before this could go ahead, however, we needed to secure planning permission. This was initially met by some resistance from local stakeholders, who were concerned that the new wetland would affect the historic landscape. To overcome these concerns, Thames21 ran a number of engagement events, explaining the design, creation and benefits of the wetland to inspire volunteers to sign up.
In addition, Thames21 ran a series of volunteering events with members of the local community and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ employees from nearby factory in Edmonton, to plant up the wetland. Local schools and Universities are now using the site as an educational resource.
What it’s worth
Redirecting the water through the wetlands has reduced levels of nitrogen and dissolved any phosphorous, preventing these two major pollutants from reaching the Brook.
Furthermore, the volume of cleaned water that is being replenished before it reaches the river from the Brook is estimated to be 200,000m3 per year.
It has also meant that around 70 nearby properties will benefit from reduced flood risk, as up to 2500m3 of water from heavy rainfall will now be stored in the wetlands and released slowly into the surrounding ground.
Crucially, 0.3Ha of new wildlife habitats have been created for plants, insects and birds. The area can also be enjoyed by the local community, boosting their health and wellbeing. It is estimated that the wetland will attract around 1,000 new visitors to the park per year.
Testimonial
As one of the most polluted rivers in the UK, it was vital to help take action to reduce contamination of the River Lea at Pymmes Brook. The project has brought together the community and our employees to create a more sustainable environment and improve biodiversity in the local area. Although we have made progress, there is still more to do, and so again with the support of The Coca-Cola Foundation we have committed to support a further three-year programme focused on establishing nature-based solutions to water risks and challenges at a number of other sites across the country.
Julian Hunt Vice President, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
