Purpose

In the Spring round 2023 a community grant
application was made by Aldbury Parish Council which received
approval at the grants panel meeting on 13 June 2023.
 
The pond in Aldbury is a picturesque village
feature that attracts visitors and make the locals proud, however
the APC have identified that the pond is in urgent need of work so
that it retains water during dry weather spells. Aldbury pond
isn’t a simple dew or spring-fed pond, it also forms an
integral part of the village drainage system.  Unlike most village ponds in the Chilterns and
elsewhere, their pond receives most of its water from run off
during and after rainfall. That water brings with it silt and
organic material which gradually build up in the pond and require
regular removal. Very few ponds have these distinctive
characteristics. In the 80’s the pond had a liner installed
to help it retain water. That liner was punctured during silt
removal and then taken out altogether in 2018. Since then the pond
hasn’t been able to retain water properly and during the dry
spells last summer and this winter it has looked far from its
best.  Requiring a liner to hold water
whilst at the same time needing regular silt removal poses a
particular challenge for our pond. Liners can be damaged during
silt removal and because the base of the pond is chalk, as seen
over the last few years it won’t simply self-seal. The will
require a new liner but it will also need a more robust protective
layer over the liner to avoid damage during necessary silt
clearance.

Decision

In the Spring round
2023 a community grant application was made by Aldbury Parish Council which received approval at
the grants panel meeting on 13 June 2023.
 
The pond in Aldbury is a picturesque village feature that
attracts visitors and make the locals proud, however the APC have
identified that the pond is in urgent need of work so that it
retains water during dry weather spells. Aldbury pond isn’t a simple dew or spring-fed
pond, it also forms an integral part of the village drainage
system.  Unlike most village ponds in
the Chilterns and elsewhere, their pond receives most of its water
from run off during and after rainfall. That water brings with it
silt and organic material which gradually build up in the pond and
require regular removal. Very few ponds have these distinctive
characteristics. In the 80’s the pond had a liner installed
to help it retain water. That liner was punctured during silt
removal and then taken out altogether in 2018. Since then the pond
hasn’t been able to retain water properly and during the dry
spells last summer and this winter it has looked far from its
best.  Requiring a liner to hold water
whilst at the same time needing regular silt removal poses a
particular challenge for our pond. Liners can be damaged during
silt removal and because the base of the pond is chalk, as seen
over the last few years it won’t simply self-seal. The will
require a new liner but it will also need a more robust protective
layer over the liner to avoid damage during necessary silt
clearance.