Pump station is no more? Inert shift into high gear for restoration. Part 6 23rd July 2022

Finally, on this marathon update, cause by me not stomping over the site for two weeks, this section covers the east, west and south shore of the new Finch pond.

As I said in earlier posts, I watched Inert spend months and much effort to infill the once mighty Finch pond between the copse and sewage works and Longwater road entrance. Inert have now been instructed to dig this whole area out to form the new, large Finch pond, replete with reed beds. I did keep mentioning in my blogs that I was perplexed why they infilled and then built up this area.

On the other hand, I have repeatedly said that plans keep changing, and the original plans for the site are at least 20 or 30 years old. Inert's site foreman did say, way back in late winter of this year, that he was awaiting final plans from Cemex. Certainly his workforce have been busily digging out the ponds and profiling their edges.

My only observation, with my MK 1 eyeball and without a tape measure, is I still reckon the south shore of Finch pond is too far north of the south footpath aka Blackwater river footpath.

One heartening feature of Finch pond, is that it has lots of mounds (scrapes, perhaps) dotted about it. Birds love these features. However, I can only hope that they are a permanent feature, and will not be bulldozed flat in the coming. Though without bank protection, they will be washed away by pond water - as is happening with Tern island, Moor Green Lakes.