Wessex Water has received planning permission for the creation of a new wetland and grassland site in Somerset. Adjoining the Hawk and Owl Trusts’ Shapwick Moor Nature Reserve, this project will provide a significant boost to water quality and wildlife across the Somerset Levels and Moors.
Large‑scale habitat creation across more than 25 hectares will use natural wetland processes to filter and improve water before it reaches local rivers, helping to reduce nutrient pollution.
By reducing nutrient loads and enhancing the surrounding landscape, the new wetland is expected to strengthen biodiversity and support species ranging from dragonflies and wetland birds to otters.
Wetlands that deliver benefits for people and wildlife
Integrated constructed wetlands bring together water treatment, habitat creation and landscape enhancement in a single, natural system. By reducing levels of harmful nutrients from sources such as agricultural run‑off, septic tanks and domestic wastewater, the new wetland will help protect the delicate ecology of the Somerset Levels, an area renowned for its birdlife and biodiversity.
Designed to blend into the surrounding landscape, the wetland will help regulate water flow and create a more resilient network of habitats. This approach supports a wider range of species while offering opportunities for people to connect with nature through carefully managed access.
The project builds on the Hawk and Owl Trusts’ long‑standing conservation work at Shapwick Moor, where monitoring already provides valuable insight into the health of local bird populations and ecosystems.
Expanding the wetland area will support more comprehensive data collection, helping to demonstrate how nature‑based solutions can improve water quality and biodiversity at a landscape scale.
What’s next?
With planning approval secured, construction will commence later this year, followed by seasonal planting and seeding.
Wessex Water has confirmed long‑term management funding over 30 years, giving the Trust the security needed to plan habitat care, ecological monitoring and visitor access well into the future. This commitment ensures the wetland and grassland can be woven fully into Shapwick Moor’s ongoing conservation landscape.
A further planning application for the construction of hides for the observation of wetland birds and badgers will be submitted soon, and it is hoped that the Hawk and Owl Trust will take operational control of the site in early 2027.
Transforming the landscape and preserving it for future generations
The granting of planning permission represents a major milestone in a project that will have long‑lasting benefits for nature, local communities and the wider Somerset Levels.
As work moves forward this spring, we look forward to sharing visible progress on the ground and, ultimately, to welcoming supporters to experience the new wetland as it comes to life.
