Track Repairs at The Knapp & Papermill Nature Reserve

Substantial repairs are needed to the existing surfaced track which leads off the main highway onto the nature reserve. This is the only access to much of the reserve for Worcestershire Wildlife Trust vehicles. The track is cut into a sloping rockface and as such, has required various forms of revetment over time to keep it level, safe and useable. This has largely involved layers of compacted stone chippings and stone filled gabion baskets. Since February 2024, cracks have developed along the edge of the track and slumping has appeared along a section too.

The method of repair is currently being worked up by a team of structural engineers. Initial investigation including drone footage and boreholes has been undertaken to better understand the rock strata. The most likely solution will be a combination of ground anchors to pin the track into the rockface and steel mesh or panels to form a retaining wall and hold the bank together. The gradient of the slope, situation of the track and inherent instability of the rock makes it extremely challenging to find a solution. It’s vital for the engineers to take the time needed to assess all solutions and find one which makes the track as futureproof as possible.
The aim of the work is to repair the existing track to a standard which can bear up to 30 tonnes in weight at any given time.

The nature reserve is part of the Leigh Brook Valley Site of Special Scientific Interest and as such, there is a legal obligation to manage it appropriately for wildlife. The current management style is heavily dependent on vehicular access for transporting livestock on and off site, taking hay cuts, carrying out essential tree work and river management. Without vehicle access to the site, the risk is that the SSSI would receive inadequate management, potentially resulting in a decline in species and ultimately being classified as ‘unfavourable’ as a SSSI which is not acceptable.