River Anker - Access and Nature
Developing a vision for the River Anker and its meadows at Atherstone
We need your views ...
We want the whole town to help develop a vision for the River Anker and the meadows which lie alongside it.
Find out more by scrolling through these webpages.
Take part in our two surveys to tell us what you think.
The first survey asks about your ideas and thoughts about the project.
You can click through to the survey using the links below.
Paper copies can also be picked up from Atherstone Library in Long Street.
We also have a survey where you can 'drop a pin' onto a map of Atherstone and tell us exactly where you want access and nature to be improved.
You can click through to the 'drop a pin' survey using the links below.
These links are repeated throughout the webpages so you can read on - and then complete the surveys when you are ready.
The River Anker flows around the northern edge of Atherstone. It is a beautiful river, teeming with wildlife.
Atherstone Town Council is exploring whether we can improve access along the river and the riverside land.
We also want the river and its meadows to be places where nature can thrive.
Your opinion counts.
Tell us the way we should go!
Your opinion really matters and will help us to get funding and support for this project.
Where in Atherstone are we interested in?
Our focus is the river and surrounding land between Sheepy Road and Carlyon Road car park.
It is important to note most of this land is privately owned.
There is already a path along some parts of the riverside area which North Warwickshire Borough Council negotiated a few years ago, with the landowners at that time. The path is provided through the goodwill of the landowners and there is no legal right to use it.
We have started to speak with some landowners about our ideas, but we cannot take this project forward without their agreement.
We will also need to secure funding.
At this stage we are exploring whether our ideas could work and what we need to do to turn them into reality.
We want your views to help us do this.
The potential ...
We think the River Anker and its meadows could be a place where not only nature can flourish ...
But people too!
We want it to be a place where everyone can enjoy the natural world.
Learn about it ...
And experience it.
We also think that this project would help to support the economy of our town. We think there is the potential to increase the number of day visitors to Atherstone who will spend in our shops and cafes.
We think that there is potential to link with the many public rights of way around our town to help to develop Atherstone as an attractive destination for visitors.
We also want the river and the meadows to be a place where rare wildlife can once again find a home.
And where there is a diversity of natural life.
More about the project
There is a lot which needs to happen before our vision becomes a reality.
Not least we need to work with the landowners along the river. Without their agreement we cannot move forward.
We also want your views on what you think the potential could be for Atherstone's river and its surrounding meadows. We want to know how we could make the project a success.
The information you give us in our survey is important and will help us to get funding for the project.
The link to our survey is below and is repeated later in this webpage. You can click through to the survey now or continue to scroll through the webpages to find out more about the project.
There are more links to our survey throughout these webpages.
The river floods several times every winter.
This makes it impossible to gain access for some of the year, but it does mean that the area could be exceptional for wildlife.
We want to improve both access for people and habitats for nature.
Most of the area is in Flood Zones 2 and 3 - and the river floods regularly.
We need to take flooding into account in our plans.
There is already a path along some parts of the riverside area which North Warwickshire Borough Council negotiated a few years ago, with the landowners at that time.
This path is not legally designated and is provided through the goodwill of the landowners, for the benefit of Atherstone residents. Consent to walk along the path could be removed by the landowners at any time. We don't want that to happen.
We want to explore if the path could be improved so that people can access it for longer each year and so that it stays in better condition.
We also want to know what you want included to improve access for you.
Perhaps you want benches?
Signs explaining about nature?
Tell us what you would like to do.
Would you use it for fitness?
As a safe route away from traffic to get into town?
Or for getting to work or school?
With your children or family?
Perhaps you want to watch nature?
Or just find quiet relaxation.
Telling us how you will use it will help us to get funding.
Flood meadows can be very valuable for wildlife if they are looked after in the right way.
Ditches and small ponds could add to the range of wildlife in the flood meadows.
North Warwickshire Borough Council is considering designating some of the riverside land they own behind the Carlyon Road Industrial Estate as a Local Nature Reserve.
Take part in our surveys and tell us what you think.
Some videos follow next which will show you the route as it is now.
See the areas in more detail ...
The path and woodland from the Royal Meadow Drive Play Area and greenspace and northwards to Sheepy Road.
This video runs in a northwards directions
The video runs for 30 seconds.
To the eastern side of the sports pitches from Ratcliffe Road to the Royal Meadow Drive Play Area.
Video runs from Ratcliffe Road northwards past the sports pitches.
The video takes 39 seconds.
The southern part between Ratcliffe Road and Carlyon Road Car Park. Behind Greencore (Sandwich Factory), the Carlyon Road Industrial Estate and 3M.
Video runs from Witherley Bridge northwards to Ratcliffe Road.
The video takes 1 minute 15 seconds.
Thank you for viewing our web pages!
Now take our surveys.
