Two proposals with quotes have been received so far.  We are looking for a third.

Broadly the proposals comprise:

• Removal of excess silt
• Installation of in water aquatic fencing to one side of the bank which will be backfilled with silt from the pond in order to create marginal areas which can be planted with native species including aquatic marginal plants and shaded woodland wildflowers, increasing bio-diversity.
• Reduction of the width at the inlet to the pond to try and increase the flow velocity and overall conveyance in order to disperse the sediment more evenly throughout the pond. This will avoid the formation of the island forming situation which is occurring presently.
• Formalise the island that has formed and build it up to create a habit for nesting birds and make the banks solid to prevent any vegetation spreading or silt banks forming.
• There is a high level of survival of the sluice mechanism on two sluice gates, dam and water channels demonstrating a complete water management system. The machinery of the sluice gates is an increasingly rare survival.  We will be looking to refurbish these mechanisms as soon as possible.

The quotes differ in the machinery used for de-silting and silt disposal one using ‘Cam-shell floating digger’ the second using a floating suction dredger that pumps it to a pre-prepared area via pipes coming out of the back.  There has also been a suggestion by  that the pond could be drained following refurbishment of the drain sluice gate and then dug out dry and subsequently refilled.  This is potentially cheaper but is dependent on enabling access and is less bio-diversity friendly.