Cannop Ponds industrial heritage report released

Cannop Ponds were created to provide a reliable source of water for the Parkend Ironworks

A heritage assessment report for an under-threat beauty spot says some loss of industrial heritage is "inevitable".

The report, carried out for Forestry England, looks at potential impacts of work at the Forest of Dean's Cannop Ponds.

Forestry England has been studying the site after issues were found with its 200-year-old dams.

It says they are no longer safe at holding back water, but not in imminent danger of collapse.

Proposals have been put forward to drain the ponds in order to prevent possible flooding downstream.

People from nearby communities have been campaigning to save the ponds

But there has been strong opposition by the campaign group Save Cannop Ponds, with alternative plans put forward, including dam repair.

Cannop Ponds form part of the historic industrial landscape within the Forest of Dean.

Lower Cannop Pond was created first in 1825, with Upper Cannop Pond created a few years later.

While the ponds and their structures are not legally protected as listed buildings or scheduled monuments, they are an important part of the Forest of Dean's history of coal mining, iron working and stone quarrying.

The findings of the report, carried out last year, will be "an integral part of the process of developing solutions and making a decision on how to address dam safety requirements", Forestry England said.

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

Deputy surveyor for Forestry England, Kevin Stannard, added: "From what we know so far, no matter what option is chosen for Cannop, the industrial heritage will be impacted."

Forestry England said its challenge is how to balance the duty of care and legal requirement to make the reservoir safe, with the needs of wildlife and a changing climate.

A spokesperson added: "While compromises will need to be made, we will seek to ensure we mitigate any losses to our heritage, record what we have before it is lost or altered and tell the story of the Forest for future generations."

No firm decision about the future of the dams has yet been made.

Public engagement events will be held on 21 and 30 March and there will be online options for those who cannot attend.