Jubilee Pond, Epping Forest

The original pond, reputedly constructed in the early 1900s, covered an area of approximately 1 hectare. The sources of water to it dried up in the mid 1980s and it had been empty ever since. From public consultation with local residents and community groups, it was agreed that the best option was to restore the pond and turn it into a wildlife, conservation and education area.

The design and build contract required the remodelling of the pond’s shape within the existing footprint, landscaping of the pond base for islands and a pond dipping area plus landscaping of the removed spoil around the pond margins. The old concrete liner was crushed on site and recycled to create the hard landscape features of low mounds, islands, footpaths and horse paths, thereby reducing the environmental impact of heavy traffic having to take the material away and disperse into a landfill site. Clay, imported from nearby Essex was puddled to provide a watertight liner. Water abstracted from the chalk aquifer via a 65m deep borehole was used to fill the pond and an underground pumping station will keep the pond topped up during the summer.