Resilience hub 4
Uttlesford & Epping
United Kingdom
Flood management and river restoration in agricultural landscapes on the edge of Greater London.
About Uttlesford & Epping
Uttlesford and Epping Forest are rural areas in Essex adjacent to Greater London. They balance productive farmland and natural ecosystems with proximity to Stansted Airport and urban expansion pressure. Intensifying storms and heavy rainfall drive significant flood risk, while historically modified river systems have lost their natural capacity to manage water flows.
Climate Context
Key Challenges
Flood Risk
More intense storms and rainfall increase flooding across farmland and communities.
Urban Pressure
Proximity to London drives urbanisation that encroaches on natural flood plains and green corridors.
Extreme Weather
Increasing storm frequency damages infrastructure and stresses natural and built water systems.
Degraded Rivers
Modified watercourses have reduced ecological function and natural flood management capacity.
Solutions
Wetlands, Field Bunds & River Restoration
NURISH demonstrates constructed wetlands, field bunds, and river restoration across the area. Field bunds slow overland flow during heavy rainfall. Wetlands provide flood storage and filter runoff. River re-naturalisation reconnects channels with flood plains restoring both ecological function and climate resilience for agricultural land.
- Flood capacity: Demonstrated flood risk reduction through targeted NbS across the hub area.
- River restoration: Re-naturalised watercourses with improved ecological status and flood plain connectivity.
- Water retention: Increased soil moisture retention supporting agriculture during dry periods.
- Peri-urban NbS model: Tested solutions replicable in other rural areas bordering major cities.
Other Resilience Hubs
Explore the Pillars
See how these frameworks are applied through NURISH’s Pillars.