Issue details

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.