Maidenhead Waterways project leads to swans nesting in town centre

Despite still being several years from completion, some of the environmental benefits of the Maidenhead Waterways project are being seen already, with swans spotted nesting in the town centre.

The birds seem to have made a home in Moor Cut, which was largely dry until February last year, when York Stream was dammed to allow work to begin on the first stage of the programme.

Richard Davenport, chairman of the Maidenhead Waterways Restoration Group, said: “I like the news, if only because of the doubters who said last year we would destroy the wildlife.

“The Moor Cut, which is normally dry, is now full of nature – swans have never been seen there before. The thing to be clear on is that the water is there [in the Moor Cut] because of the work to York Stream.

“At no time will there be no place for the wildlife to go and we’ve got an ecologist overseeing everything we do.”