Cannop Ponds dams must be taken down, says Forestry England

In the 19th century the ponds powered former iron works in the park

The dams at a beauty spot must be taken down, Forestry England has said.

The body said the 200-year-old structures at Cannop Ponds in the Forest of Dean are no longer safe at holding back the water, although they are not in imminent danger of collapse.

Local campaigners said the loss of the ponds would have a devastating impact on the community.

But Forestry England's deputy surveyor for the area, Kevin Stannard, said: "The status quo is not an option."

Two options are now being considered, including replacing the dams with a concrete structure or removing them entirely.

Kevin Stannard, deputy surveyor of Forest of Dean, said the deterioration of the dams is a serious concern

The ongoing deterioration to the dams and their inability to cope with a one-in-a-150-year storm event are a serious concern, Forestry England said.

Mr Stannard said that due to the fact the dams pose a risk to nearby properties the current ones must come down.

That would change the landscape dramatically and local campaigners, including some councillors, are calling for the dams to be retained.

A petition launched last year against the draining of the ponds has attracted over 41,000 signatures.

Forest of Dean district councillor Jamie Elsmore said the ponds attract visitors to the area

Forest of Dean district councillor Jamie Elsmore said the ponds are an important part of its industrial heritage.

Mr Elsmore said: "The community are very concerned about the retention of Cannop Ponds.

"The biodiversity in Cannop alone is absolutely unique with a large range of wildlife that's second to none.

"The threat of losing it would have devastating impact on the community and the Forest of Dean as a whole."

Mr Elsmore said he is worried that Forestry England are being driven by financial concerns.

'Not about the money'

But Mr Stannard said this is not the case.

"We don't know how much any of these options are going to cost," he said.

"The replace and rebuild option probably will be the most expensive but we don't definitively know that.

"But it's not about money at this stage. It's about designing the future of the forest."

Mr Stannard said a public consultation will start in the spring with a decision made by early autumn. A scheme will then be submitted for planning approval.