KING'S POND
HISTORY
It is probable that there was a corn mill close to the site of King’s Pond from mediaeval times but the main evidence of the river at this location was in the late 1700s by William King (hence the name), to power a paper mill. A map from 1857 shows the Pond and several plots of land to the east which were apparently for sale. The pond was still called ‘Mill Pond’ at that time and was smaller than it is now, with a more complicated outlet round the mill. Milling ceased in 1908 and the milling machinery sold in 1913. During World War I the building was used to house German prisoners of war. In 1919 the site was sold with the mill taken over by the Alton Battery company.The Pond passed through a number of ownerships as a private amenity until it was bought by Alton Urban District Council together with the surrounding land in several different transactions during the 1960s and 1970s. The site is now owned by Alton Town Council and is a public amenity much valued by the local community for its landscape, wildlife and tranquillity. The site of the original paper mill was redeveloped in 1989 as the Waterside Court flats.
THE ISSUES
The pond was formed by the construction of a dam at the former mill site which resulted in silt and gravel being deposited in the Pond from the river Wey flowing into it. Over time there has been a buildup of silt which needs to be removed. The pond was last cleared of silt nearly 30 years ago (1996) while the recommended interval is approximately every 20 years, each clean-up potentially placing a significant cost burden on the Town Council. Additionally, two reports commissioned by Alton Town Council in recent years and correspondence from the Environment Agency have all pointed out that the river downstream is adversely affected by the Pond…chalk streams such as the Wey are fed from natural springs but undergo a warming effect from being within the Pond catchment. This, along with the large number of resident wildfowl and fish, changes the nutrient content of the water that flows from the Pond into the downstream leg of the Wey, altering the ecology in a negative way.The Town Council have made clear commitment to enhance and maintain the site in the most sustainable way for the well-being and enjoyment of current and future generations. To restore the pond to the depths achieved by the 1996 dredging, we are told that approximately 10,000m³ of silt needs to be removed. Sampling and analysis carried out in 2023 show that the silt is polluted with chemicals from road run-off and other contaminants, acceptable for landfill but not for agricultural use or allotments and gardens. Extracted silt, should it remain on site, would need to be covered with a protective layer of clean material but there is some doubt whether there is enough space to deposit the reclaimed silt in the environs of the Pond.
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
In 2022, Alton Town Council commissioned a report looking at options for the Pond and subsequent public consultations on the report findings were highly controversial. In January 2023, the Town Council resolved to carry out further investigation of options with the result that two of the options are, in 2025, being further considered in more detail with a view to providing Town Councillors with additional supporting data and evidence to enable informed decisions to be made.
Dredging Option
This would be similar to the last time the pond was cleared, but with some additional work to the weir. However, the ongoing issue of the silting up of the Pond would remain and would commit the Town Council to further periodic dredging and would not reduce the impact on the river Wey further downstream. There may also be additional issues of the disposal of excessively contaminated silt. However, it would effectively retain the existing character of the Pond although there will be disruption to users and wildlife during any proposed dredging work.
Pond & River Option
This option reinstates a chalk stream river running through the site whilst retaining a substantial pond and also creating wetland areas. The connectivity between the upstream river and the downstream river Wey will be restored and it has the potential to introduce a wider range of habitats and greater biodiversity. It would, however, reduce the number of existing wildfowl species as the remaining ponds will be of a smaller size. This option has some risk as it cannot be completely certain what the completed project would look like until more work has been done. Again, there will be significant disruption to existing users and wildlife during the works.
IN SUMMARY
The Town Council is progressing technical and financial assessments of both these options. By May 2025, ecology surveys will have been carried out and expressions of interest will have been sought from companies with appropriate experience to deliver ‘stage one’. This involves consultation with key stakeholders, preliminary engineering and landscape design for both options including costings and preparation of material in advance of a public consultation. Following the consultation, further stages will follow, eventually culminating in a decision by Town Councillors. Meanwhile, working groups drawn from the community are supporting the Town Council, managing the specialist designers and contractors while communicating with stakeholders and the townsfolk.
Further detailed information is available on the Town Council website:
