The Future of Aldenham Reservoir

Facts

• Aldenham Reservoir and the surrounding land, including the reservoir walk, have been privately owned since 1992.

• Hertfordshire County Council had leased the Reservoir to provide public access and chose not to renew their lease in 2015.

• We are pleased to announce that we have re-opened the gates allowing public access to the circular walk (between 9am and 5pm) following positive conversations with Hertsmere Borough Council’s Planning Department.

• We have always welcomed a dialogue with either Hertfordshire County Council or Hertsmere Borough Council regarding leasing the reservoir, however both had declined until recently.

• Various proposals put forward in 2015, 2016 and 2019 that would have returned the Reservoir permanently to public use with ongoing investment and maintenance were refused by Hertfordshire Borough Council and strongly opposed by EBRA.

• Fencing has been erected to denote the boundaries of private land that no longer has public access, and to ensure the health and safety of all visitors to the Reservoir.

• We have been forced to lower the water level in the Reservoir following the Environment Agency designating the Reservoir as “High Risk”.

• The Reservoir is under separate ownership to Aldenham Country Park which owns and runs the car park. We do not receive any revenue from the car park or any of the activities run by Aldenham Country Park.

Public Statement

Since taking on Aldenham Reservoir, our dream has always been to protect and preserve this natural treasure for the local community, for generations to come. It is with deep sadness and frustration that we have to close public access to the circular walk around Aldenham Reservoir, from 8th July 2020, until further notice. 

We have been advisors and then owned Aldenham Reservoir privately for 28 years since 1992. Despite private ownership of the Reservoir, we have welcomed public access and invested in the Reservoir and its surrounding area for almost three decades. We have received zero income from Aldenham Country Park, which is owned by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) and leased to a company called Aldenham Renaissance. 

All costs for keeping the Reservoir safe and clean are paid for personally by us. We have protected the dam; we have picked up litter on a continuous basis; we have maintained the footpaths (well beyond the shorter public footpath which is maintained by HCC); we have preserved the biodiversity of the Reservoir. A report and letter were filed in 2019 by the Dam Supervisor with The Environment Agency advising that it would be prudent to lower the water level by a metre in order to reduce pressure on the dam, avoiding its collapse. 

In order to maintain public access to Aldenham Reservoir and meet the rising costs of maintenance, safety and security, we need a way to generate income as we no longer have the resources needed. We have tried to work with Hertsmere Borough Council since 2015 to find solutions. Each proposal has been rejected, despite overwhelming support from the public and environmental groups in 2015. The proposals included a renovated Sailing Club with a significant contribution and investment in the facilities from us. We were advised by leading sustainability experts, including Land Use Consultants and architects, Tate Harmer, who have notably worked with The National Trust, Eden Project and Kew Gardens. We have also urged both Hertfordshire County Council and Hertsmere Borough Council to consider leasing the Reservoir to preserve public access, and they have both rejected this solution.

Aldenham Country Park and Aldenham Reservoir are owned by two different entities. We will continue to own Aldenham Reservoir and without the necessary funding, regretfully, we cannot keep it open safely and at an acceptable standard for the public.  We have always loved Aldenham Reservoir, our dream remains for it to be a natural jewel in the area, enjoyed by the public and thriving wildlife alike. We hope that Hertfordshire County Council and Hertsmere Borough Council will engage in this conversation, without further cost to us, to see if we can find a way to keep this vision alive.

Yours faithfully,

Nitin Gosrani

Liberty Lake Leisure Ltd.