Mitigation Projects

In the winter of 2022 and 2023 Mend the Gap had planted over 990m of hedge in the South Stoke area and the programme is committed to continuing its efforts in the Moulseford to Purley area in 2023 and 2024.

The Mitigation planting will help to directly mitigate (reduce) the harm done to the AONBs by the electrification of the Great Western mainline. The planting is softening the visual impact of the electrification by screening, masking, distracting from or breaking up views of the gantries and other electrification equipment.

We anticipate that most Mitigation Projects will take the form of tree planting and/or hedgerow restoration.

As well as screening/masking the electrification equipment, these projects are bringing about wider benefits including biodiversity enhancements, creation of new habitat, supporting nature recovery and building resilience to pressures such as ash dieback and climate change.

Mitigation Projects are taking place on private land but the benefits should be available to locations or viewpoints that are publicly accessible (ie from footpaths, roads, bridleways, rivers etc) so that the benefits of the project are available to the wider public.

All projects must be suitable in terms of species and habitats and compatible with the landscape character of the AONBs.

Mend the Gap can contribute towards the costs of:

• Design of mitigation planting schemes
• Implementation of those planting schemes (including site preparation, purchase of plants and materials, on-site works including tree planting/hedgerow restoration)
• Locations for Mitigation Projects

Research has already been undertaken to priority identify locations where tree planting and hedgerow restoration will have the greatest benefits in reducing the visual impact of the gantries. In the first phase of the programme, the focus will be on developing mitigation schemes in the priority locations.