The Environment Agency’s fish pass on the River Aire at Castleford, opened last December, has been shortlisted for a prestigious accolade by no less than the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister’s Better Public Building Award, which recognises high-quality design – essential for a good public building – but also efficient procurement; economic and social value; good team work between client, designer and contractor; sound financial management and whole-life value for money; and sustainability.
The award judges said that the Environment Agency’s scheme is “an ecological necessity elegantly executed” and “provides social and economic benefits through a more diverse and sustainable fishery.” They also said: “Strong partnership between the Environment Agency, Wakefield Council, British Waterways and community groups was crucial to the success of the project, which has reconnected people to a river that forms an intrinsic part of their history.”
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: “Good design in building matters. It helps to foster civic pride, it fires the imagination, and it’s something we’re very good at in this country. The public buildings and projects on this year’s shortlist are excellent examples of this. I am especially pleased to see the emphasis on sustainable design, regeneration and bringing life into communities shown by this year’s selection.”
Adrian Gill, project manager for the Environment Agency, said: “To be shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s awards is a great honour. This fish pass greatly benefits the River Aire and Castleford area, allowing us to work with our partners to bring people back to the riverside.
"It will improve biodiversity further up the river, encouraging otters, kingfishers and bittern. We also hoped that migratory fish like salmon, lamprey and eels, which are under threat, will also return in greater numbers."
The fish pass forms part of the Environment Agency’s wider Natural Heritage project and is a significant milestone in the regeneration of the River Aire at Castleford, improving biodiversity and encouraging people to enjoy the river again.
Castleford Weir, built to meet the needs of industry and navigation, has had a negative effect on the river by blocking the migration of fish. With a reduced food source, the river was less attractive to species such as otter and kingfishers.
But with the addition of the fish pass, migratory fish can travel upstream of the weir by leaping up a series of baffles. Alongside improving water quality and an increase in non-migratory fish stocks in recent years, the area can once again become a haven for wildlife.
The Environment Agency was awarded £309,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and £70,000 from the SITA Trust to contribute towards the installation of a fish pass, providing improvements to Castleford’s riverside area.
The Environment Agency will monitor the biodiversity improvements and fish populations at the pass, using hydro-acoustic techniques and information from angling catch returns.
Great views of the fish pass are available from the recently-constructed footbridge, where people will be able to catch glimpses of the fish using it.
The fish pass was designed by Arup and constructed by Costain. Arup worked with Fishway Engineering who provided specialist advice on biological design, to ensure that any construction work did not affect the existing weir, and chose to locate the pass offshore in order to prevent public access and ensure safety.
The Prime Minister’s Better Public Building Award is sponsored jointly by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) and the Office of Government Commerce (OGC).
