Question to the forum: Planning Consent for Fishing Pond

[Julian]

Hi all,

 

Can anybody help with this visitors question to the forum?

 

The Visitor has been directed to this thread so could any answers / help be posted below. Cheers, Julian.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Hi,

 

I have recently acquired some land with a spring and I'd like to build a fishing pool there. Are there any planning conditions about digging a large pond - any other advice regarding the pond construction would be greatly appreciated?

 

Thanks for your time,

 

Dave Snelgrove

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Steve Burke]

Dr Bruno Broughton is the man you want. Bruno does post on here from time to time, but you can contact him via his website at http://www.bruno-broughton.co.uk/

 

I'd strongly recommend you consult Bruno before you do anything. He has many years of practical experience and will probably give you some basic advice free of charge. If you decide to go ahead with the project his fees are very modest and you'll probably save much more than this, let alone have a better water, by taking his advice.

 

Bruno can now also supply small carp if that's what you're after. Another fish supplier I can personally recommend is Ken Crow on 01732-851544. Like Bruno, Ken is a qualified fishery management consultant and taught the subject at college until recently.

 

I'd add that I have no connection with Bruno or Ken other than being a very satisfied customer of both.

[Grandma]

You will need to obtain planning permission, because it will be considered an engineering operation and therefore classified as development.

 

In terms of the planning process, there are four main issues that can be expensive to address and should be considered early so that you can decide if the project is feasible:

 

1. Access: Hopefully an adequate road network serves the site. Problems can arise if it's served by a single-track lane which isn't wide enough for two cars to pass one another.

 

2. Ecology: Depending on where the site is located, you may have to pay for an ecological survey to determine what species and habitats are on the site. This can become an issue if the site has been pasture for a long period of time. Also protected species such as badgers, otters, newts may need to be accommodated.

 

3. Archaeology: If there is thought to be any possibility of archaeological interest within the site, then things can get very expensive!

 

4. Drainage: The Environment Agency are usually consulted on this type of application. If the site is within a floodplain, then issues can rise with disposal of excavated material - i.e. you may need to dispose of material off site (very expensive). Also they don't usually like to see existing water courses and their habitats interfered with.

 

The best thing always is to contact the Local Planning Authority and send them a sketch plan as part of a 'pre-aplication consultation'. This avoids the planning fee and allows you to establish whether the thing is feasible without spending too much money.

 

In terms of budget, for a 2-2.5 acre lake, allow £20-30k for construction, assuming there's no major archaeological / engineering issues. Allow £2-3k for planning and professional fees, again assuming there are no major issues to overcome.

Edited September 4, 2006 by Grandma

[Newt]

Nice summary Grandma.

 

Dave Snelgrove - the suggestion to engage Bruno early on is a good one. You will be walking through a (pleasant but potentially dangerous) minefield and he can get you through safely or tell you early on that you cannot cross without being blown into pieces.

[chesters1]

most certainly yes a chap dug a very nice one just up the road then the planning people cottoned on ,he spent more money putting it back as it was than it took to dig and landscape the place in the first instant.

theres also "change of use" ,permission to get an access for lorries and digger and then the complaints from neighbours about the lorries themselves.

i wont go into the EA side.

Edited September 4, 2006 by chesters1