By John Baron
Campaigners calling for the removal of an ‘eyesore’ fish pass next to the remains of historic Newlay Weir fear ongoing legal action could mean a resolution could be years away.
As previously reported by WLD, 332-year-old Newlay Weir was badly damaged during Storm Christophe three years ago, which led to large parts of the weir being washed down the River Aire. An independent report confirmed two years ago that the construction of a fish pass at the same time is likely to have contributed towards the Grade II Listed weir being badly damaged during the storm.
Since then, members of Newlay Conservation Society have been calling for the concrete fish pass at the side of what remains of the weir to be demolished. And they are now concerned that unspecified legal action – understood to be between a riparian landowner and the Environment Agency – could mean there will be no movement on the issue in the foreseeable future.
“It’s frustrating,” said Martin Hughes, who is chair of Newlay Conservation Society. “We are left with a fish pass that sits out of the water and is completely unnecessary now the weir has been partly washed away. The fish pass is an eyesore with no water running through it and is a magnet for anti-social behaviour in the summer.
“People stand on the bridge and look one way at the ongoing flood defence work and then look the other at the ugly fish pass and what is left at the weir and they say ‘what is going to happen to the weir and fish pass’?
“I’m afraid we are looking at nothing happening for a very long time and we will be talking about this in another three years.”
Mr Hughes fears that the issue will be allowed to ‘just drift’ by the Environment Agency and Leeds City Council.
He added: “People feel what’s left of the old weir should be conserved if it’s not going to be restored. People want to see the fish pass – which no longer has water running along it, is doing nothing and is a lump of concrete – demolished, but that will inevitably be an expensive business.”
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said they could not comment on the matter as it is subject to ongoing legal proceedings.
At the time of the collapse in 2021 work was being carried out on the Heritage Lottery-funded £2.7 million DNAire project to install fish passes at Newlay, Armley, Kirkstall and Saltaire.
The Larinier fish pass along the right bank of Newlay Weir was designed to allow passage over the weir for salmon and sea trout which migrate from the Humber Estuary to the headwaters of the River Aire.
The Newlay goit situated in Rein Road, Newlay, was created in the 12th century on land given by Nigel de Horsforde for the monks to provide power for their cornmill at Kirkstall Abbey. Newlay Weir was built in about 1690 to provide increased flow of water to the goit for improved power for Kirkstall Forge.
Follow WLD‘s ongoing coverage of Newlay Weir here.
Such a disgrace that a historic structure has been damaged so badly due to a thoughtless man made structure. Hope that the fish pass can be demolished soon so that the weir can be restored to its former glory.