Rosyth River Restoration

Rosyth is home to a network of freshwater habitats, in particular the Whinny and Brankholm Burns which flow into Rosyth from the north and west, and out to Inverkeithing Bay. These habitats face multiple challenges due to the change in land-use over time; Rosyth used to be a flood-plain with slow flowing burns and wetland habitats, was converted for agriculture, and then developed into a town once the Rosyth dockyards were built. This development has seen the burns artificially straightened, modified and culverted in several areas. In addition, rubbish has accumulated throughout the burns, and invasive plant species have spread.

The result of these pressures is declining habitat for freshwater species such as trout, salmon, kingfisher, herons and more. As well as a poor environment for local residents to enjoy. Flooding is increasingly affecting Rosyth as climate change impacts develop, and these modifications along the burns exacerbate this issue, along with the aging water infrastructure.

The Rosyth River Restoration project has been set up to restore the rivers in Rosyth by re-meandering them, creating wetland areas and improving freshwater and riparian habitats, to support biodiversity, community wellbeing and increase climate resilience. We want to deliver significant ecological improvements by expanding and enhancing the natural habitat of the Whinny and Brankholm Burns.

Why Rosyth?

The rivers in Rosyth have been significantly altered historically, straightened and disconnected from their natural wetlands and floodplains. The river channels are not supporting wildlife, the channel capacity is reduced and they are not adding to the aesthetic of the greenspaces that they run through in Rosyth. This has made them eligible for the Water Environment Fund, (WEF), administered by SEPA for the Scottish Government.

We have also heard from Rosyth’s residents and community groups that river restoration is a particular priority, especially in this capacity to help with climate resilience by reducing flooding impacts. We know Rosyth’s residents have been heavily affected by flooding, and we hope that this habitat improvement work can have some co-benefits for climate resilience.

What has been delivered so far?

In 2025, a feasibility study was conducted to identify potential opportunities for restoration, and the barriers and challenges that might exist. Factors assessed included river morphology, ecology, flood analysis, heritage, utilities, access and contamination. The feasibility study identified large river restoration potential for several areas in Rosyth, with the main barriers coming from infrastructure and utilities in areas that are built-up.

Alongside the feasibility study, FCCT has been engaging with communities to understand local priorities for nature restoration and create more opportunities for people to interact with the rivers and their local environment. FCCT has partnered with local community groups to deliver these projects, including:

• Fish in the Classroom with Rosyth primary schools
• Bird box and bat box building with the Men’s Shed, Rosyth Guides and EASYP Camdean
• Tree planting with EATS Rosyth
• A community forum for river restoration
• Nature and heritage skills sessions with EASYP Camdean
• Wildlife walks
• Litter picks with local volunteers

What are the next steps?

Now that the feasibility study has concluded, the project is moving on to its design phase. In 2026 the focus will be on Conceptual Design, where we take the ideas identified in the feasibility study and visualise them, so that the community can start to understand how the project may take shape. We will collaborate with the community to build these designs.

Following this, we will move to the Developed and Technical design phases which will create detailed designs to inform the construction phase. These projects are large-scale and complex, so can often run for 5 years from feasibility through to construction. The project is currently funded by WEF and Fife Council for all three design phases, and future funding will be sought for the construction phase.

The expected timeline for this project is shown below.