digging a small lake

[singlefin]

i am the proud owner of 9 acres of lovely woodland and open land,does anyone know if there is a size of lake that is permitted without going through the council/planning? the lake would be just to atract wildlife etc,any help would be much appreciated..

[wrekin]

In principle any size of lake requires planning permission as it's permanent development that is not forestry. However the written response I had was that rain-fed ponds dug by hand (ie without getting a JCB in) would not require a planning application.

[coppiceer]

Having hand-dug a 30' x10' x 6' deep pond and having broken 3 spades and virtually crippled myself in the process, I would definitely talk to the council. Over the years any small pond will naturally become silted up and overgrown. It was recommended to me by an amphibian expert that I consider creating 2 or 3 small ponds over a number of years, so providing a variety of aquatic habitats. When the ponds became completely overgrown then they could be cleared out in turn and there would still be other ponds for the wildlife to use.

[SimonFisher]

Some information here at Pond Conservation.

[happybonzo]

I have an existing pond that covers approximately half an acre. It was originally built as a flighting pond in the Victorian era for people to shoot waterfowl more easily.

It shows as a pond on the OS maps but it's now almost chocked with weed, scrub and small trees.

Would I need planning permission to restore it? The only way that anyone would know would be by aerial survey as there are no Rights of Way and the nearest neighbours are two miles off.

[Meadowcopse]

If it is on the OS map and still evident on the ground, then it exists and you would be restoring rather than creating from a planning aspect?

I'd take advice before restoration though, from an aquatics wildlife group as to the best way to go about it for sides / depth profile, existing wildlife and best time of year.

Insurance - NFU Mutual didn't look too favourably from a public liability aspect / premiums when I thought about a pond. Anyone else found this?

[RichardKing]

happybonzo, from your description of the pond it sounds like a perfect wildlife environment.

Ponds go through a natural cycle of silting up & becoming overgrown.

I would therefor proceed with EXTREME CAUTION before embarking on any "restoring".

Talk to some local natural environment experts before you trash it.

[singlefin]

thanks for the replies,ill look into it,thanks again

[happybonzo]

Shame about having to take care with regard to digging out the pond - I was looking froward to getting medieval on it with the new swing shovel.

Seriously though, when I've restored ponds in the past I've always done them a bit at a time. I try to leave heaps of backfill and give any "creatures" a few days to run out before moving the rubbish.

[tracy]

Sounds great happybonzo. I think we need to ask the wonderful Sarah (newsletter editor) to begin work on a woodland pond article. Send us in some photos and we can put together some general information that everyone will value.