Ponds in community greenspaces

Natural Networks officer Finley discusses the importance of ponds in local greenspaces...

Water forget-me-not in ponds at The Knapp & Papermill nature reserve by Becca Bratt

A wetland feature, no matter how big or small, is one of the best things you can do for wildlife in your community greenspace. When it comes to ponds, ditches, lakes and even bird baths, more is always better. The only thing better than a pond, is two ponds!

Ponds support two thirds of all freshwater species but the UK has lost over half a million ponds in the last 100 years. Ponds are vital habitats, especially in urban areas, providing not only homes for frogs, toads, dragonflies (and a whole host of other wetland specialists) but also a water sources for birds and mammals, food sources for bats, swifts and swallows and tranquil, calming locations for people.

Clearly then, creating a pond in your greenspace, whether this be a small container pond or large wildlife pond, is the best way to benefit your local wildlife. But, there are a few items to consider before you start digging.

Do I need planning permission?

For most pond creation projects, planning permission will not be required as the works fall under permitted development. However, there are some legal limits and criteria to be aware of.

Permitted development rules generally apply to domestically owned land (i.e. gardens) so, therefore. most community greenspaces fall outside this criteria. It differs between local authorities but some will deem community ponds to be permitted development whereas others will not. Always contact your local planning authority to enquire about your plans. You also need to ask the land owner’s permission.

Furthermore, if your planned pond is to be over 20m² or 1m deep, then planning permission will be required. Additionally, permitted development ponds only cover those 5m away from buildings and boundaries.

The large pond at Bull Meadow, Fernhill Heath by Becca Bratt

North Claines Parish Council created Bull Meadow, a recreational community space in Fernhill Heath, just north of Worcester, with guidance from Natural Networks, a partnership project between the Trust and Worcestershire County Council. Bull Meadow hosts a wetland complex of five ponds and two scrapes (shallow wet areas that seasonally dry out).

This large wetland creation took contractors three months to complete but before the diggers even got to site, the Parish Council spent two years gaining planning permission. Firstly they needed to change the land use from an agricultural field to a recreational wildlife site and then they needed permission to dig the ponds and scrapes.

The wetland dig was completed in early 2023, with native pond plants being planted in April and May of that year. Whilst this project is on the larger extreme of a community pond, valuable lessons can be learned when it comes to planning requirements and their timeframes.

Will a pond be safe?

Open bodies of water, whilst providing an excellent addition to your community space for wildlife, do pose a safety risk. However, there are many simple solutions so don’t let this put you off.

Wildlife ponds don’t need to be deep and should have gentle sloping sides. A maximum depth of 1m is all that’s needed – assuming that your gently sloping sides allow you to get that deep. Shallow edges, without steep drops, allow for both people and wildlife to safely wade out of the pond, should they find themselves in the water.

For further safety and precaution, a rigid grille could be used to cover the surface of the pond (mainly for existing deep ponds – as new ponds should be shallow edged), still allowing wildlife in but keeping people out.

Another Natural Networks project saw pond restoration at the Trust’s Knapp and Papermill nature reserve. Here, low fencing was used to keep visitors safe from accidental slips into the water. Hazel hurdles were used, keeping in theme with the natural landscape, allowing for safe views into the pond from the path.

The pond viewing platform with hazel hurdle fencing at The Knapp & Papermill Nature reserve by Dom Cragg

How can I make my pond as wildlife-friendly as possible?

This could be a blog post in itself but the most important way to make a pond wildlife-friendly is to increase the diversity of habitats. Edge habitat (the wet into dry margins of the pond) is one of the most important for all ecosystems and particularly for ponds, as the margins are where most of the plants can be found. Planting up the edges of your pond full of native plants, such as yellow flag iris, marsh marigold and water forget-me-not, provides cover for amphibians, nectar sources for pollinators and colourful flowers for visitors to enjoy.

To maximise the amount of edge habitat around your pond margins, consider an irregular shaped pond, rather than just a square or circular one. Not only will this look more natural in the landscape, it allows more space for native plants, such as water mint, purple loosestrife and bugle.

When adding plants to your pond, always ensure the plants are from a reputable nursery and never transplant wild plants or animals from another pond into yours – you may be inadvertently spreading non-native invasive species or diseases.

I don’t have space for a big pond! What do I do?

A large pond dug into the landscape isn’t always suitable. Perhaps your community space sits on a large area of concrete/tarmac or the site is on a steep slope. This is where container ponds provide real benefit.

Using all the aforementioned guidance (shallow sloping containers, full of native aquatic plants) you can create a wonderful wildlife habitat in the confines of a small space.

Examples of container ponds by Sean Webber

In conclusion, adding a pond or other water feature for wildlife is one of the best things you can do to encourage wildlife to your community greenspace. Whether big or small, ponds add diversity and provide a vital lifeline to many species that we share our greenspaces with.