Ian Barnes, the deputy leader of Enfield Council, said: “Enfield Council is creating wilder, more natural spaces to enable biodiversity to thrive as part of our ongoing climate action strategy.

“Also, by exploring natural flood management techniques, such as this beaver project, we can reduce the risk of harm from flooding following extreme rainfall, protecting hundreds, if not thousands, of local homes.”

The project, which will see the two-year-old beavers introduced into a six-hectare (15 acre) enclosure, is part of a wider natural flood management initiative to help restore local wildlife and river habitats, the council said.

It added that it is also looking at reintroducing other species, such as goshawks, and would like to support kingfisher nesting and barbel fish breeding.

Malcolm Goodwin, the principal of Capel Manor College, London’s environmental college, said: “We know how vital nature and biodiversity is for the health of the countryside and the wellbeing of the good people of Enfield.

“Our students know this too and they will have the opportunity to protect, monitor and understand the beavers and how they interact with their habitat and the local ecosystems.

“This is especially important as they will graduate to become custodians of the natural environment we all share.”