The Environment Agency (EA) has provided updated information on the maintenance of the Riverside Park sea‑wall embankment, following the Parish Council’s recent enquiry.

Annual Maintenance

The Environment Agency will cut the grassed embankment once per year between July and September, a schedule agreed with Natural England to balance flood‑risk inspection needs with environmental protection.

The embankment borders the Severn Estuary’s Ramsar, SPA, SAC and SSSI designations, requiring all works to be approved by Natural England.

Maintenance Activity

Draft maintenance plans confirm:

• Annual cutting of the grass bank
• Strimming or herbicide treatment of the masonry revetment

Vegetation clearance for 2026 has begun at Aust and will progress south to include Riverside Gardens.

Inspection and Condition

The defence is inspected under the EA’s T98 visual inspection process and is currently graded 3 – Fair, typical for its age. Clearance works will support full inspection and help prevent deeper root growth.

Responsibility

The EA confirmed it is responsible for maintaining this defence under a long‑term agreement with South Gloucestershire Council, running until 2085.

Reporting Issues

Environmental concerns can be reported via gov.uk/report‑environmental‑problem or the EA incident hotline: 0800 80 70 60.