en.Wedoany.com Reported - Salford City Council plans to design and construct a series of artificial islands on the River Irwell, with procurement proposals to be reviewed by the committee next week. These interconnected modular floating wetlands will be located at the Ordsall Riverside.

The high-buoyancy units are made of high-density polyethylene and stainless steel, filled with lightweight expanded clay aggregate, compost, wood chips, and plants. A council report states that the project aims to enhance biodiversity, improve water quality, and achieve aesthetic benefits through the artificial islands.

The total project budget is £248,000, partially funded by Section 106 agreements, with the remaining £78,000 provided by the Environment Agency's Water Environment Improvement Framework.

If councillors vote to proceed with the tender, notices will be published on FTS and The Chest platforms. The contract will follow a design-build model, allowing bidders to propose their own technical solutions.

Floating wetlands are not a new technology, with several applications in the UK, including outside the Glasgow Science Centre and along the Regent's Canal in London. Earlier this year, the University of Portsmouth and Southern Water launched a floating wetland research project aimed at assessing the impact of these artificial islands on water quality at the Southcoast Wake Park.