Cambridge City Council has awarded a contract for the Sheep's Green watercourse restoration with an estimated value of nearly £200,000 (including VAT).

The Council, working in partnership with Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) (principal funder) and Darwin College (Tenant leaseholder of part of the land), are seeking to restore permanent water flow to seasonally dry channels flowing through the Sheep's Green Local Nature Reserve in Newnham, Cambridge.

The channels have been historically disconnected from the floodplain through the artificial raising of the main river and parallel Mill Race (Snobs Brook) to power the historic water mills and more recently aid recreational navigation.

The Council was seeking an experienced river restoration contractor to deliver the scheme on the sensitive, public site close to the historic city centre.

Bidders were required to demonstrate significant experience in delivering similar schemes on river floodplains with public access, grazing animals, tree and protected species constraints.

Current estimated start and end contract dates are 1 October 2026 to 1 March 2027. Suffolk-based firm Miles Water Engineering has been awarded the contract; earliest date the contract will be signed is 17 September 2026.