Marlborough’s Water Meadows – Councillors agree a strategy for future management

New arrangements for dealing with all the meadows in its ownership were voted in last night (23 February) at the Amenities & Open Spaces Committee meeting of the Town Council.  

Councillors agreed the drafting of a Water Meadows Strategy which will provide long term planning and development for land at Tin Pit, Cooper’s Meadow and Stonebridge Meadow (co-owned with ARK – Action for the River Kennet).  

Now that the Town Council is on its way to owning Cooper’s Meadow through an asset transfer from Wiltshire Council (see report from previous meeting) Councillors agreed to the the latest draft of the Meadow’s Management Plan drawn up by the Council’s Estates Manager, Richard Beale.

The Meadow’s plan includes the return of grazing sheep, probably later in the Spring.  The whole area will be opened up for much wider community use with seating and an improved play area, with the aim of becoming ‘an amenity area for all residents and visitors to Marlborough’.

Tin Pit is now more accessible to the public thanks to a habitat restoration project undertaken by ARK and the creation of a new path to the edge of the River Og.

Regarding Stonebridge Meadow, a new Deed of Trust was agreed to be be drafted which will set out management responsibilities between the Town Council and ARK.  This will aim to pool the expertise and resources of both organisations to make the most of the 15 acre meadow so that conservation and nature can go hand in hand with a proper amenity area and mown paths.  Stonebridge will be an important asset to the town.

Town Mayor, Cllr Marian Hannaford-Dobson said:  “After many years, we are now looking at better management of our open spaces.  It’s been long overdue.  We have so much to be proud of with our magnificent Common as well as Priory and Wye Gardens.  Our meadows too are an important part of the historic fabric of Marlborough.  We owe a huge debt of gratitude to ARK and its volunteers for the work done to improve our rivers at these meadows and we look forward to working closely with them and other community groups to make them better and more accessible to all.”

If you are interested in activities taking place at the meadows, please contact the Town Council – they would be interested in your ideas for shaping these spaces.