It's all coming together nicely - the breach of the seawall up at Hesketh Out Marsh, and now planning permission to flood an area behind Lunt to create more wetlands.
The computer-generated graphic above shows just how tasty the area could look.
Merseyside/South West Lancs as the new Coto Donana?
You better believe it.....
Okay, so climate change will have to get a shift on before there are breeding pratincoles around the Withins and Black Shouldered Kites on Carr Moss, but you've got to dream....
Time to invest in a new pair of wellies - and maybe a nice punt.
The plans for the Lunt Meadows area, which have been on the table for quite some time now, will also help protect low lying areas nearer the coast (Hightown, Formby) from flooding if globally-warmed sea levels continue to rise....so everyone should be happy.
Copy blagged from today's Liverpool Echo and Formby Times.....thanks to both newsdesks.
"A new nature reserve is to be created by flooding a huge area of Merseyside.
Planning permission has been granted to flood low-lying fields around the hamlet of Lunt, near Formby.
It will create a 60-acre haven for wildfowl, including rare wading birds.
Nature lovers also hope the area will attract the endangered water vole, which inspired Ratty in Wind in the Willows.
The nature reserve, Lunt Meadows, will consist of reedbeds, ponds and wet woodlands.
Planning permission was granted this week to the Environment Agency, which will have three years to carry out the scheme.
As well as creating the nature reserve, flooding the area will provide flood defences around the River Alt.
The Environment Agency will also replace ageing diesel pumps at Altmouth pumping station as a second element of defence against flooding of the low-lying area.
Flood risk manager Ian Rowlands said: âÂÂWeâÂÂre looking at the design for Lunt meadows, anticipating we will start within three years granted by planning approval.
âÂÂWe will be doing lots of public consultation, primarily getting information from local people to add to our own knowledge of the area.
âÂÂLunt meadows will give us increased protection for future years.
âÂÂWe will factor the implications of climate change into that, using all the forecasts and meteorological technology available.âÂ?
Mr Rowlands said his team would now start design work for the pumping stations.
He said: âÂÂIt could be we keep four pumps or just one pump with a greatly increased
capacity. The remit is to provide at least the same level of protection, though.â�
Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies.....
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As an exiled resident of Thornton, with happy memories of SEOs and Herons and more along the Alt between Homer Green and Lunt, this plan is superb news.
My parents will no longer be asking me when I am coming to see them, more like when am I staying at home.