[Helencus]

We've had a guy round to price up digging out the old farm pond on our land. I've advised the parish council I plan to clear it out (it's totally filled in) they're fine but suggest I ask the council if it's ok.. I do not want to go there with the job creation dept. I have copies of the old maps from 1832 and 1838 and the pond is on it so I can prove a pond was there. It was filled in around 20 years ago I believe but no more recent map.
So my dilemma is do I ask the council if it's ok and confirm I dont need planning or do I go for it and risk them telling me I have to apply for planning and risk having to fill it in again... We do live in a flood risk area but this would help stop the flooding actually...

[bloomer]

how big is it?

[Helencus]

About 15 -20 ft across I guess as deep as we choose to make it but would like ducks.

[bloomer]

well you can build that big in a domestic garden with out pp so id go for it!!!

[goosepimple]

Just do it - I'm an architect (sorry, not trying to sound pompous) and we are having ours dug out by a man with a super big digger - its costing us £1800 (£2,500 including price of getting the digger here) - we're digging ours as deep as possible (probably about 4ft, more if we can) and although it will still function as the mill pond we are going to use it as a swimming pond and get a wee boat.  Its about 70m long by 25m across and we have just drained it and the silt is drying out so the digger can get in.  Architects always check back to archives for any such things as this - its surprising what you can come up with sometimes - the council almost always are happy to go back to the historical, they feel safe with original intentions.  If it were us we would definately just go ahead with it - so long as you put the dried silt on your own land / access for the digger is ok etc.  You will have to think about signage perhaps for any passers by (if necessary) and best to have a couple of life saving rings just in case or even build a small jetty type thing for anyone falling in.  You may have a spring you don't know about?? If you find a manhole cover around somewhere it may be housing one.  Go for it, it'll be great - oh just a wee thing I saw on Countryfile a while back - if you are planning on putting some water reeds in it, they had someone show you how to chop the feathery type seed heads off existing reeds (if you find some) and you just rub them liberally onto seed pots (tray type) and sit the tray in water and they grow really easy and then you stick them in the water - looked easy peasy. Good luck.

[goosepimple]

P.S. You should check if your land is listed - some people think its just the buildings, it may also be the land in which case you should make a call to the listed buildings section of your planning dept.  However, some things are better less said.....

[Helencus]

Thanks guys.. Sod it I'm going for it I'll have the argument after cause I know there will be one!

[yankieGirl]

Easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask permission!!

[Roxy]

My OH is working on a farm renovation for someone - I cannot believe the hassle they have from the council.  Apparantly they had to stop work and apply for engineering   work permission ....er ....engineering? As far as I could see they were digging a banking out at the bottom of the field.  Then they tried to remove an old slurry tank from the ground .....oh stop!!  Yes, they needed the engineering permission again  Thats only two examples - there are plenty more!!.

Hopefully, you can do your pond  - if the council get involved, they will be doing risk assessments etc.  and demanding to know what you will do to stop kids getting in the pond etc.  

It is a dilemma - if you do it and then they don't like it .....on the other hand, I would do it, and hopefully there will not be a problem.  Anyway, a pond is an asset to the wildlife etc. surely?

[Helencus]

I won't need to worry about kids getting near it it's within 50 foot of the house on my fenced land anyone going near it would have to be trespassing essentially on land that is close enough to be my garden... Which of course it's not ... Perish the thought.
As I can prove it's an existing pond that's silted up and the silt will be distributed on my land my take is why would I need planning?
I contacted the pond conservation society and they're encouraging could even get funding to do if restore to full size as part of the million ponds scheme but recommend I ask the council. After the stables debacle I dont think I can face it tho.

[ambriel]

Yeah, go for it! You can always fall back on the 'But I was only clearing out the silt and performing some pond maintenance' defence if they query it.

[bloomer]

helenecus

im a landscaper who also happens to be an angler who loves ponds, if you need any help advice reestablishing the pond plantwise or otherwise id be happy to help

if it got to the point of paid work i take payment in as yet still growing pork for the freezer!!!

[Helencus]

What a very good idea, youre reasonably close to me aren't you? I could do with advice generally on how to add some features Trees etc without falling foul of the it's not domestic land thing..
I actually rang the council today no names etc. They said to dug silt out of an existing pond doesn't require PP. So it's a lot of silt but it is just digging out not a new pond. So all systems go then.

[doganjo]

We'll need before, during, and after photos on here, Helen!

[Helencus]

Well now I finally figured it out Annie no problem