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Staffordshire Wildlife Trust has acquired 64-acres of land adjacent to the River Trent in Rugeley and is turning it into a wetland haven for wildlife. A former golf course for the old Rugeley Power Station, the site was closed in 2017 and work has begun to restore the land for nature.
The former site owner ENGIE officially transferred ownership of the land to the Trust in September 2025 and it is hoped that the site will be opened to visitors in September 2026.
Funding from ENGIE, the Environment Agency and Severn Trent Water is enabling the Trust to create a valuable mosaic of floodplain habitats to better support local wildlife. Designs for the site were created thanks to Transforming the Trent Valley funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
You can read more about this exciting project here.
You can find out more about the former Rugeley Power Station site and the involvement of Transforming the Trent Valley (2019-2024) on our pages here.
It's a landmark moment for wildlife and people in Staffordshire! Thanks to the considerate development of Engie, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is now the guardian of 64 acres of land near a new development in Rugeley. The site is being transformed it into a wetland oasis for wildlife and people to enjoy.
By creating a wetland with a range of habitats including ponds, grassland meadows and wet areas, we will attract a greater variety of wildlife. Dragonflies, little egrets, wading birds and even otters will benefit from this work.
As well as habitat work, a 1.5km circulate route will be installed to allow visitors to view the site and get closer to nature. With viewing areas and information points, people can learn about the wildlife on site and understand why river habitats like these are so important.
