Welshpool’s new nature pond ‘is not for visitors’

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to create an “offline pond” near Welshpool as part of a project to regenerate the Montgomery Canal have been approved by Powys councillors, but it won’t be open to visitors.

The proposal by the Canal and River Trust, who are working with Powys County Council on the regeneration scheme, was in front of the council’s Planning Committee on Thursday.

Building the 1.5metre-deep pond will include an inlet and outlet structure to link it to the canal. The scheme covers 4.2 hectares with the pond to take up 1.2 hectares of land off Coppice Lane, near Banks Farm at Wern, just off the A483 main road.

The purpose behind the pond – which is set to be one of several along the canal – is that it would create additional habitat mainly to accommodate ‘Luronium Natans’ which is a protected species of aquatic plant present in the canal itself and the reason for it being designated a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

Senior Planning Officer, Kate Bowen, told councillors that there had been “additional representations” received by the council overnight.

Mrs Bowen said: “This regarded concerns on whether the development would attract visitors and whether that would cause parking problems along Coppice Lane and affect a farming operation near the site through inappropriate parking.

“There was also a request to address committee this morning but unfortunately that was received too late.”

People who want to speak for or against planning applications in front of the committee need to contact the council with their intentions at least three days before the meeting.

Mrs Bowen said: “The applicant has confirmed that the development is not proposed to be a visitor attraction and that measures will be put in place to deter visitors.”

Mrs Bowen stressed that the applicants had said there would not be a car park at the site and that this would deter visitors. She recommended that councillors approve the application.

Cllr Elwyn Vaughan (Plaid Cymru) said: “This is part of a much wider and larger investment in the canal as we’re all aware, the report has answered the concerns about car parking in particular.”

He added that he was content with the report and recommendation and was ready to move the item to a vote. Cllr Karl Lewis (Reform) added that he was happy to second the proposal.

The committee went to a vote and councillors voted unanimously to approve the scheme.

In February 2022, Levelling Up funding worth £13.937 million from the UK Government was agreed for the project.

However, last September concerns were raised by internal auditors at Powys council that “significant delays” in the work could force it to be scaled back, with a potential loss of up to £6 million in funding predicted,

This is because the scheme was supposed to have finished, and all the money spent by the end of March 2025.

Earlier this month the council and trust revealed that they had secured an 11-month extension and the work now needs to be finished by the end of next February.