Riverside land purchased to save it from development

Riverside land purchased to save it from development13 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleNeve Gordon-Farleigh

Jeff Overs/BBC A honey bee feeding on nectar from a purple flower. The picture has been taken close up and the background has been blurred.

Jeff Overs/BBCThe 2.5 acres of land was purchased by the council two years ago after it was marketed as a development site

Land next to a river has been bought by a Green-controlled council so it can be protected from development and enhanced as a wildlife haven.

Mid Suffolk District Council purchased 2.5 acres of land by the River Waveney at Palgrave for £25,000 in 2024 to protect it from being used for development.

It will form part of the River Waveney Trust (RWT) River Access for All project to restore the site and reconnect the community to their rich waterside heritage.

Tim Weller, the council's cabinet member for environment, said: "We can see clear potential to enhance wildlife in this area and improve public access — supporting our nature recovery ambitions for the district."

The site is said to be mostly covered in trees and scrub and has a public right of way running from Palgrave to Diss in Norfolk, up the western side.

While the management plan is still in the process of being drawn up, Mid Suffolk District Council said it hopes to attract a range of wildlife to the site including insects, pollinators, birds, mammals, trees and plants.

Mid Suffolk District Council The River Waveney. Around the river is foliage and fallen trees.

Mid Suffolk District CouncilThe council said part of the biodiversity work will including creating glade areas for habitat diversity

Improving biodiversity and nature recovery is part of the district council's plan to make the area thrive economically, culturally, socially and environmentally.

The authority said it will be looking to create glade areas for habitat diversity and control invasive and non-native Himalayan balsam.

Todd Strehlow, RWT chair, said: "Although the River Waveney flows alongside Diss, there are surprisingly few places where people can get close to and enjoy the river, making this a unique opportunity to help more people connect with it.

"The site is already a very special place, with reedbeds, wet woodland and some beautiful old oak trees. We are really looking forward to working with the communities of Diss and Palgrave, and welcoming new volunteers, to help care for and enhance the site, bringing it back to its best for both nature and local residents."

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