The Roding Rises

The River Roding through Ilford Golf Course

The Roding Rises is a transformative project that aims to continue work to revitalise the River Roding and its connection to those who live around it. Alongside targeted, on-the-ground river restoration and access improvement works, the project will bring together the diverse communities along the river to build a shared understanding of its value, a vision for its future as a natural haven and a commitment to collective stewardship. 

From rural Essex to Barking Creek, the River Roding has suffered decades of pollution and neglect. The three-year project (2026-2029) aims to improve water quality, enhance natural habitats and reconnect communities with their local river. 

Historically, the River Roding has been heavily modified – straightened, widened and deepened – resulting in the loss of vital habitats and ecosystems as well as restricting fish movement. The river also suffers from agriculture, industry, road runoff, and sewage pollution. Please find more information about these issues and projects to tackle these in the Roding, Beam & Ingrebourne Catchment Action Plan here. 

Large sections of the river have been left inaccessible to the public, leaving communities disconnected from the natural spaces it provides. Surveys conducted by Thames21 have shown that many people living within walking distance of the Roding in the London boroughs of Newham, Barking & Dagenham, and Redbridge are unaware of the river’s existence.   

The Roding Rises project is being delivered by working collaboratively with key partners from the Roding, Beam and Ingrebourne Catchment Partnership including the London boroughs of Redbridge, Newham and Barking & Dagenham, the Environment Agency, the River Roding Trust, the Roding Farm Cluster and Essex County Council.

Thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Thames21 and partners in the Roding, Beam & Ingrebourne Catchment Partnership will work with the local community, volunteers, environmental organisations, local councils, the farming community and many others to help improve water quality on the River Roding, restore valuable habitat and reconnect people to their local environment. 

The project focuses on six key areas:   

1. River Connections  

  • Provide participation opportunities for local communities to connect with the river and each other through a programme of events.  
  • Build a representative community network and understand how the community values the River Roding. 
  • Timeline: initial events will be released soon!  
RBI catchment partnership group during a walk on the River Roding

 

2. Citizen Science  

  • Train volunteers in river monitoring, helping to baseline and monitor the health of the river, including water quality and biodiversity assessments. 
  • Timeline: the monitoring strategy is being finalised by the working group over July and August. Once this is done, training sessions will be advertised. 
Water sampling on the River Roding at Roding Valley Park

 

3. Habitat Restoration

  • Deliver a river restoration project in the Upper Roding by re-meandering a 500m straightened section of the river.
  • Multiple habitat improvement and restoration projects will also be delivered through the Roding Grant Scheme (see Section 5). 
  • Timeline: we are working with a consultant on the detailed designs and all the other reports that are needed. Delivery of the re-meandering project will start in 2028. 
The remeandering project is happening on the right side of this photo

 

4. Roding Masterplan

  • Produce a Roding Masterplan to articulate a coherent vision for the river within local planning and development frameworks and connect it with development funding mechanisms (e.g. CIL, S106, BNG). 
  • Timeline: this work will be produced through a Masterplanner and Masterplan Engagement roles. These are being contracted in July/August 2026. Keep an eye on Thames21’s LinkedIn. 

 

5. Roding Grant Scheme

  • Establish and administer a £125,000 River Roding Grant Scheme to enable stakeholders across the river corridor to deliver projects that enhance its natural heritage and connect people with it. 
  • Timeline: First round of grant scheme to open in August. 
Volunteer restoration efforts on the lower Roding at Wanstead Park

 

6. Organisational Development

  • Provide support to local groups, like the Roding and West Essex Farm Cluster, where needed to strengthen governance, systems and transitions to independent structures. 
  • Refinement of The Roding Rises project development and delivery experience as a replicable, holistic model for other London rivers through an evaluation and learning process. 

 

How to get involved? 

  • Keep an eye on our events page for upcoming opportunities to get involved. 

 

The Roding Rises is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to develop this three-year project, which aims to continue the restoration of the River Roding, helping local communities reconnect with, care for and celebrate London’s third-longest river.

The Environment Agency is also supporting The Roding Rises through providing match-funding via its Water Environment Improvement Fund.

The Roding Rises has been developed collaboratively with multiple partners including those in the Roding, Beam & Ingrebourne Catchment Partnership.