Ponds are great for wildlife and also have high amenity value for architectural, cultural and leisure reasons.
Ponds are now a priority habitat under the UK biodiversity action plan and we have just published new guidance about their protection.
Our recommendations for planners and developers are:
- Every opportunity to create new ponds should be taken, be this on development sites, schools, farmland, restored waste and mineral working or on reclaimed derelict land.
- That ponds are put into development schemes either as a landscape feature or as part of a Sustainable Urban Drainage Scheme.
- Loss and damage to ponds should be avoided where possible.
- Any pond which is damaged should be replaced by the creation or restoration of a pond nearby, aiming to get good ecological quality.
Be wary of trying to mitigate for pond loss by moving the pond plants and animals to a different site. Loss of any pond will mean that there are fewer 'stepping stones' for animals to move between ponds.
Where there are existing ponds you can create the development around the pond, rather than filling them in. The pond can greatly enhance the site, acting as a focal point for recreation and making sure that valuable wildlife is not lost.
