'Rat infested' Trowbridge town park pond to be transformed

The project will involve extending the nearby Paxcroft Brook to flow through the middle of the existing town pond area to improve biodiversity and create a wetland area and wildlife habitat.

It is being planned by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust in partnership with Trowbridge Town Council as part of a scheme that also involves upgrading play areas, repairing the bandstand, and providing new facilities such as public toilets.

Trowbridge Town Park pond is now disused and totally overgrown. Trevor Porter 77154 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Trowbridge Town Council leader Cllr Stewart Palmen said: “The town council is very pleased to be working in partnership with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust to help develop this important area of Trowbridge Park into an improved biodiverse habitat as part of the council’s strategy to make Trowbridge greener.”

In 2021 Wiltshire Wildlife Trust collaborated with Trowbridge Town Council to design improvements for the pond and a survey revealed it lacked biodiversity and was dominated by ducks and rodents.

The project is part of a five-year initiative called A Better Biss Approach (ABBA), which aims to increase biodiversity and public access to the River Biss and surrounding areas.

It follows work in 2021 by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, in collaboration with the town council, to design improvements to the pond. Since then, water levels have dropped and the disused pond now resembles a wetland area.

The pond will be redesigned as part of plans to improve biodiversity and transform the area into a wetland and wildlife habitat. (Image: Wiltshire Wildlife Trust)

The town council has commissioned the trust to enhance the wetland vegetation and naturalise the area by diverting Paxcroft Brook to flow through the middle of the existing pond.

The Trust will create a stream with more gently sloping banks to provide a wetland habitat for fish, invertebrates, and other aquatic life.

The project also plans to improve connectivity to the nearby River Biss to create a natural flow between the town park and surrounding waterways.

Alice Eley, head of freshwater at WWT, said: "We are thrilled to be partnering with Trowbridge Town Council again on this exciting project.

“The Town Pond is a hidden gem in Trowbridge, and we believe it has the potential to become a thriving wetland habitat that will enrich the lives of both local wildlife and the community.

“We are eager to see the continued positive impact this transformation will have on the biodiversity of the area, as well as the increased enjoyment and appreciation residents will have for this revitalised green space.”