City Corporation weighs next steps as Hampstead Heath pond consultation closes
The Hampstead Heath pond access consultation has formally closed, with the City of London Corporation confirming that thousands of public responses will now be independently analysed before any decision is made on the future of its historic bathing ponds.
The consultation, launched earlier this year, invited swimmers, local residents and visitors to share their views on how the ponds should operate in the coming seasons. The Corporation has been reviewing access and charging arrangements in light of safety duties, equality requirements and long-term sustainability concerns.
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Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman of the City Corporation, thanked contributors for their engagement, saying the Heath “holds a special place in the hearts of so many”, and that public opinion forms a “vital part of the decision-making process”.
“The feedback we’ve received will now be independently analysed, and a full report will be published in due course,” he said. “These responses will be considered alongside our legal and regulatory duties, equality impacts, safeguarding responsibilities, and practical enforcement needs.”
The Corporation said the findings will inform Members across the relevant committees once the full report is delivered. Until then, the current access arrangements at the ponds will remain unchanged.
Hampstead Heath’s ponds, cared for by the City Corporation since the 1980s, attract a loyal community of year-round swimmers and are designated open-water bathing sites under national regulations. Earlier policy reviews have examined issues from water safety and staffing to accessibility and the long-term condition of the dams. Further information on bathing water standards is available through the government’s guidance on designated bathing waters.
The Corporation has not set a date for when the final report will be published, though the scale of the consultation suggests the review period may extend into the coming months.
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