The River Leen Strategy
The River Leen is Nottingham’s river
Many people who live and work in Nottingham can recognise the River Leen as it crosses large parts of the city through Bestwood and Bulwell, onto Basford and Bobbers Mill, before flowing through Lenton and into the River Trent near Victoria Embankment.
The River Leen is an important and historic river. We want to make sure it stays clean, safe, and fun for everyone to enjoy!
The Environment Agency are working on a strategy to manage flood risk from the river but we also want to work with everyone who lives, works, or plays near the river.to help nature and wildlife too. When we take care of the river, it also helps the plants, animals, and people who live nearby.
The River Leen needs you!
This page will keep you updated about our plans and let you know how you can join in and help take care of the River Leen—so it stays healthy for many years to come.
The River Leen isn't just Nottingham's river, its your river and we want to know what you know and think about the River Leen. What do you like about it? Is there anything you think could make it better? Can you see the Leen from where you work or live?
You can support us by:
- Subscribing to this page for updates on our work on the River Leen.
- Leaving a short story to tell us what you think of the River Leen in our "stories" section below.
- Sending us your pictures of the Leen in our "places" section below.
- Visiting this page frequently to learn about other work you can support us with on the river.
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Special Panel event
On January 28 2006 the Environment Agency, in collaboration with University of Nottingham Libraries, Manuscripts and Special Collections attended a special panel discussion introducing the work of our River Leen team and looking at the challenges and opportunities for river management along the Leen.
The event was a great success where we shared our vision for the Leen and took questions and suggestions from a sold out crowd.
The event was filmed and a video will be uploaded onto this page soon.
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Hillside Contingency
The Environment Agency are in the process of reviewing the condition and the future requirements of a flood risk asset in Lenton. The asset is a flood wall adjacent to the River Leen and a private car park, off Leen Gate, near the Nottingham Queens Medical Centre (QMC).
The flood wall has begun to show signs of movement and rotation that will begin to impact its function if action is not undertaken.
The flood wall forms a part of the wider River Leen Flood Alleviation Scheme that was designed and constructed in the 1960’s and 1970’s. The Environment Agency are working with Nottingham City Council to review the future flood risk needs of Nottingham and the communities and businesses that reside near the Leen. This work is the Leen Strategy and it will look at the Leen catchment and future threats and opportunities presented by the likes of climate change and adaptation to this change.
The Leen Strategy recognises that the current flood risk assets are of a significant age and the flood wall near the QMC highlights the importance of the Strategy.
Whilst the Environment Agency consider the future design and location of any replacement flood wall options, we plan to install a temporary secondary flood wall, immediately behind the existing wall. This will provide the same standard of flood protection to the car park and surrounding hospital facilities, businesses and residential properties, should the existing wall fail.
The temporary structure is designed to take minimal space, and minimise any disruption, whilst providing a good standard of flood protection to those that depend upon the existing flood wall.
Works to construct the temporary flood wall are planned to commence in January 2026. The Leen Strategy project commenced in October 2025 and is aiming to deliver outcomes and recommendations in approximately 3 years. During this time the Environment Agency will be working upon design and options for the flood wall at QMC.
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The Leen: Nottingham's River
Presented by University of Nottingham Libraries, Manuscripts and Special Collections
Thursday 9 October 2025 to Sunday 15 March 2026
Admission is freeThis exhibition puts the Leen at the centre of the story of modern Nottingham. From its source in the Robin Hood Hills above Newstead Abbey to the River Trent at the Meadows, the River Leen connects places and communities.
Drawing on the archives of the Trent River Authority and its predecessor bodies, the materials on display show the challenges created by the growth of places like Bulwell and Basford and the expansion of industry. These included pollution from chemicals and sewage, and changing flood risk from urban expansion. New management challenges shaped the redrawing of Nottingham’s political and economic boundaries, and in the 1960s a substantial engineering ‘Improvement Scheme’ diverted the river and fixed the channel behind steel pilings and flood walls. The Leen: Nottingham’s River evaluates the legacies of historic interventions along the Leen for those who manage and live beside it today.
This exhibition has been jointly curated by Dr David Beckingham and Dr Rachel Dishington (School of Geography) and Manuscripts and Special Collections at the University of Nottingham, with additional input from the Environment Agency.
Partners and Contacts
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Phone 02030258286 Email emdenquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk -
Phone 0800 80 70 60
