Lexden Road Pond Needs a Facelift
Parish Councillors are developing an environment action plan using their professional skills and capabilities. This will help develop the village environmental care and management over the years ahead. As implemented it will run in parallel with regular and planned maintenance activities.
The Queens Head, Lexden and Hall Road ponds all need appropriate management if they are to remain havens for wildlife and attractive features of our village. The Queen’s Head pond had significant work completed two years ago; it included dredging and clearance of the banks. More recently the council replaced the railings which were approaching end of life.
Attention has now turned to the Lexden Road pond. A combination of silting over many years and very dry seasons means this is the ideal time to dredge and clear the banks of this pond. Work will begin in August using a local specialist contractor. By this time next year the area should be returned to an attractive village feature and manageable wildlife area.
A Historical Perspective
Did you know that Lexden Road Pond was subject of a court case in 1979? The land had been registered as common land maintained by Essex County Council. In 1977 its ownership came under question with the parish council believing it help title under an 1865 award; this registered it as a “public pond and watering pace”. One neighbour also claimed an interest in the land desiring to add it to their own property; he claimed he had been maintaining it as his own since 1974. A second neighbour also believed that they had a claim to the land.
The noted Commons Commissioner, Alfred Baden Fuller, decided the case at a hearing attended by the Parish Council and the two adjoining neighbours in October 1979. If you want to read more you can see the whole decision online here.