The Central Park Ponds Project aims to transform water from a problem into a resource. The project involves re-landscaping an area of the park to provide a nature-based solution to flooding by using a sustainable drainage system to manage surface water and provide a space for wildlife and people.
As regular park users will know, the Barn Park corner of Central Park is often prone to flooding after sometimes only moderate rainfall. This project will expand the previous inaccessible pond and create two others to form a natural, sustainable urban drainage system.
There will also be a swale – a shallow channel to capture water run-off – to allow nature to help reduce the localised flooding that occurs in this part of the park.
A number of new trees to help contribute to improved air quality and increase biodiversity as well as new vegetated walls planted with wildflower seed mixes will allow for a space for residents to enjoy the new ponds, with opportunities for education and engagement to learn about water and wildlife.
This video explains how it will work:
Update - June 2025
Here are the first pictures of work restarting on the Central Park Ponds Project.
On Monday, new contractor WBM Groundworks started to bring in all necessary equipment onto site ahead of getting spades back into the ground next week.
Their first job will be on the playing pitches above the north pond. Work will focus on the relocation of surplus soil and the installation of land drainage before imported permeable soil blend is laid. After that, it's seeded and the rest of the planting around this pond will be completed.
These works are likely to take around 12 weeks with some flexibility for the weather but the area will remain fenced off until the new grass is established.
Because of our ambition to keep all of the excess earth and spoil in the park, the works to replant Reservoir Field will take place after the pitches have been finished.
These monthly updates on the progress of the scheme will continue but we will also be providing further updates on construction milestones as and when they are complete.
It's been a long time coming but we finally have some progress. We look forward to updating you further in the coming weeks.
Update - May 2025
As is obvious to anyone walking through Central Park, we have not made the progress we wanted to on the playing pitches or on Reservoir Field since our last update.
We told residents that work would begin by the end of April in good faith, as this was the understanding we had with the contractor. It didn’t happen and so we’ve decided to part ways with the contractor on the project. Legal discussions are ongoing.
It is incredibly frustrating, given that the weather is now dry and bright. We should be making progress, but we’re not.
We are now going through the process of getting somebody else onto the job. The paperwork is being signed now and they’ve told us they’ll be onsite in early June.
Clearly this has added yet another delay to the programme but we are still on course to complete the heavy earth works by the end of the summer to allow the landscaping to start at the correct time of year.
In more positive news, the south side of the ponds landscaping has been completed. We have had some feedback from residents about the stepping stones and other improvements to the route across the swale which we have taken on board and we are looking at options for delivering the changes
Update - March 2025
With Spring and (hopefully!) the better weather now upon us, work will begin on restoring the playing pitches above the North Pond in April.
As part of these works, contractors will first be sorting out the land drainage on the site before a new soil and sand blend is laid. After that it's seeded and the rest of the planting around this pond will be complete.
These works are likely to take around 12 weeks with some flexibility for the weather but the area will still be fenced off until the new grass is established.
Since our last update, 25 standard trees have been planted around the South Pond. The trees are already between three to five foot tall and mean that all the planting around the South Pond is complete.
It's no secret that this project has gone on longer than any of us want. As a result, and in order to get it finished as soon as possible, this week some additional funds were added to the project, courtesy of a number of funding streams.
Update - February 2025
This month, our teams have been busy make minor enhancements to the South Pond with further tree planting.
We had hoped to make a start on the install of the hooped fencing, but now that we have some drier weather, this should be done in March.
The good news is that work will start on the playing pitches, as well as on planting around the north pond, at the beginning of April.
These works are likely to take around 12 weeks with some flexibility for the weather.
The land drainage will be the first job with any excess soil reused on Reservoir Field. A new soil and sand blend will then be imported to ensure effective permeability onto the new pitches.
Once these works are complete, planting on Reservoir Field can take place.
Thanks, as always, for your patience.
Update - January 2025
Over the past few weeks, we have carried out quite a lot of work around the south pond that had been suggested to us by park users.
We have repositioned the wooden fencing above the swale that runs parallel to Coronation Avenue and removed the fencing from around Mawson’s Field, allowing access to a large area for the first time in over a year.
We’ve put in new steps from the stepping stones into Mawsons Field from Coronation Avenue and have started work to make the muddy approach to the stepping stones more accessible.
All of the shrub and tree planting in this area is complete and new permanent hooped fencing has arrived on site ready to be fitted in the next few weeks. We’ve even had some ducks and a grey heron move in!
Sadly we haven’t managed to make progress with the work on the playing pitch above the north pond, or on Reservoir Field. There is a lot of earth that we need to shift and the winter weather has made this an impossible job. As soon as we get a little bit of dry weather, we will remobilise the contractor and their machinery to get this project done.
Thanks again for your continued patience. We think you’ll agree that some areas of the ponds are now beginning to look how we envisaged but we know there’s a long way to go.
Update - November 2024
In the last few weeks, we’ve completed some resurfacing, pulled back some of the fencing to allow more public access and we'll soon be adding a hand rail to the stepping stones to allow better access to Mawson’s Field.
There will still be some wooden fencing around the place, but we only plan to keep it in place until the planting has established.
The biggest and messiest job, though, is reinstating the football pitch above the north side pond and levelling and re-seeding Reservoir Field.
Sadly it’s too wet to do these works at the moment but we will crack on with it as soon as we can. We're still hopeful of finishing the project in the Spring.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: for a whole host of reasons, getting this project done has ironically been no walk in the park and for that we apologise.
The good news is that visible progress is being made and we’ll keep you updated as things progress.
Update - August 2024
Work on the Central Park Ponds Project is back underway.
After a long hiatus, our contractor returned to work on in late August to finish the earth works surrounding the ponds.
Most of the heavy lifting will be restoring the playing pitch at the top of the north pond and levelling Reservoir Field ready for fresh seeding.
To enable them to do this safely, the path that links Pounds Park to Central Park will be temporarily closed, with a diversion around the perimeter of Reservoir Field. This will be in place for around five weeks.
In the spirit of being transparent about the challenges with this project we do need to update you on some unwelcome news, though. Because of the various contractual difficulties we've experienced with this project, the planting work which will help to make the park look as we had planned, will need to be done separately.
We know what the residents will say and we accept their comments. For a whole host of reasons, getting this project done has been a slog and we're sorry but we will get there.
We are doing our best to get this project finished and enhance the park that we all know and love.
Ponds Project FAQs
The project was not finished last year and therefore was not functioning as it will when fully complete.
The project is designed to withstand extreme weather events such as a 1 in 100 year flood event with 40% allowance to account for climate change. Currently, the system ensures that the ponds do not cause floods. The water discharging into the wooded valley is intentional as an overflow route. We are currently looking at how this route functions in extreme events.
Water in the pond system is controlled to prevent depths exceeding 1.2m, with adjustments made by a Hydrobrake. The volume of water stored and discharged into the valley can be changed as needed. We will need to allow the system to settle before making any changes to the Hydrobrake. Once the works are complete, adjustments can be made if necessary.
There is currently more water entering the system than planned, including runoff from the Park and Ride managed by South West Water (SWW). This caused issues with the system last year. We are working with SWW to resolve their overflow into the ponds system.
Once the material has been spread we will need to assess the weather conditions and determine if it is suitable for seeding. It is likely seeding will be done in the spring. As with any newly planted areas, Reservoir Field will require time to settle in before we can allow for footfall. This area will be regularly reviewed but could take around 6 months following seeding to be re-opened depending on the growing conditions next year.
The area above the larger pond is allocated for two junior football pitches. The Plymouth Playing Pitch Strategy shows Plymouth has a pitch shortfall and therefore this area needs to be returned to a playing pitch use. On completion of the landscaping there will be an embankment known as a bund surrounding two sides of the pitch area and a low level metal hoop top fence for safety reasons. The timing of the re-opening of this site will depend on the timing of the seeding and the establishment of the grass.
The wooden fencing around the ponds is in place to allow new planting to establish. The majority of this will be removed when the landscaping is established. Some of the fencing will be replaced with metal hoop top fencing for safety and to reduce access to the ponds.
The fence on Mawsons Field will be reduced to run along the side of the swales making the majority of the field accessible. This will be one of the first actions once the landscaping contractor is on site. On completion the north pond perimeter will be fenced with metal hoop top fencing. The south pond will have metal hoop top fencing around two thirds of the perimeter, allowing for access to the pond from Mawsons Field.
The Heras fencing will remain in place until all site works are complete for safety reasons.
Yes, this path with be re-instated. We originally fenced it off because the stepping stones fell within the site boundary. Due to the demand to have this route reopened as soon as possible we have completed a further review of the stepping stone area, a design for some steps is being drawn up to make accessing Mawsons Field easier. The current wooden fencing will be re-positioned so that access across the stones is possible but not access into the Swales. This will be actioned once the landscaping team are on site later this month.
No, absolutely not. We are planting the following as part of the project:
- 57 Trees
- 6,000m2 grass
- 550 bulbs and shrubs
- 1,850m2 wildflower turf
While we would prefer to discourage dogs from entering the ponds we also understand that as this is a public space it is well used by dog walkers and therefore it could be difficult to prevent them from swimming. However, the North (larger) Pond will have fencing around the entire perimeter restricting access while the South Pond will be open on the Mawson Field side.
At the present time the contractor is responsible for the maintenance. Once the project has been signed off the maintenance will be passed to our Parks team.
Up until the end of May 2024, works were unable to re-start due to the unprecedented rainfall that we had been experiencing since October 2023. The saturated earth made works and landscaping impossible to carry out safely. We then unfortunately, experienced some contractual issues which delayed works until August.
Providing the weather remains on our side, we would hope that the ponds project will be completely finished and access to all areas restored by Summer 2025. The length of time relates to the different times of year certain planting works can take place and the acknowledgment of the growing periods required before the fields can be used.