One of this area’s hidden gems is the Cove Brook, a stream that starts in Farnborough airfield and runs north before joining the River Blackwater near the M3.
The 3km fully accessible Greenway alongside it makes a lovely family walk and, at this time of year especially, the trees, grasses and flowers are bursting with life. You can see a huge variety of butterflies, insects and wildlife, and it’s home to kingfishers, herons and other water birds, plus a number of species of fish, including Chubb and Bullheads.
Most of the credit for success of this linear nature corridor is down to the Cove Brook Greenway Group who have worked for almost 30 years to open up the green paths and develop the habitat. Parts of the southern stretch was originally in concrete culverts –some remains so to this day – but with the help of the Environment Agency and Rushmoor Council, the area was ‘re-naturalised’ and bridges, paths and child-friendly dipping areas were introduced in the 1990s. The Group then took on the challenge of planting hedges, clearing rubbish, and setting up a nature reserve and constructing bat boxes. They’ve also developed learning materials and ideas for teachers and groups such as the Cubs and Brownies.
The source of the brook lies in the boggy land at the back of the airport and from several tributaries, including from Southwood Meadow which is a flood plain. Many of you will have seen that parts of this area are under water after heavy rain, which is why some of the paths are uneven and muddy on this stretch.
In fact, though the Cove Brook is a beautiful resource, it also presents a flood risk to many nearby residents, including many living in the western parts of Wren Way and Mayfield Road. Household insurance premiums locally reflect this risk.
The sad reality is that as the frequency of extreme weather events continues to increase due to climate change, there are more and more communities across the country impacted by flooding, costing the UK economy billions each year.
So, I was really pleased to hear that the Government this week announced record funding for over 1,000 flood schemes nationwide to protect thousands of homes and businesses.
The Cove Brook is one of the beneficiaries, receiving some £900,000 this year to complete the flood storage enhancements. Since the brook acts as a reservoir in very wet conditions, these works are designed to reinforce the riverbanks to maintain capacity and reduce flooding locally and downstream. The package will also allow further improvements to the footpath, helping those with prams and wheelchairs in particular, and to improve biodiversity through grassland improvements, wildflower seeding and native tree planting.
When Labour came to power last July, we inherited flood defences in their worst condition on record. Our determination to address this will be welcome news for the hundreds of local residents who have experienced flooding in the past and may face further difficulties as our weather gets less predictable.
