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Green Spotlight on Bourne Stream

The environmental spotlight will be shining on the Bourne Stream this week when local people get a chance to have their say on work to improve its water quality, amenity value and benefit to wildlife.

A special display at St John's Church, Surrey Road, Poole will show four different choices of enhancements to the stream in Coy Pond Gardens. The exhibition will be open to the public on Thursday, May 23 between 7pm and 9pm and on Friday, May 24 from 9.30am to 12.30.

Local people will be able to view the options, see what the proposals would look like once built and let the Bourne Stream Partnership know what they think.

The Bourne Stream Partnership is a group of local private and public organisations launched this year to protect the stream and its green corridor providing improved access and enjoyment for all.

"The Bourne Stream is a typical urban stream and this is a real opportunity for local people to have a say in what happens to it," said Dr Neil Smith for the Environment Agency.

There will be four options on display:

• a pond by the railway embankment at the top end of the gardens
• meanders at various locations throughout the gardens
• a pond upstream of the outlet from Coy Pond
• additional flow channel downstream of Coy Pond outlet.

"The display will include illustrations and diagrams of how these options would look when complete so everyone can get an idea and let us know which they prefer," explained Dr Smith.

Any proposal getting the green light will need planning permission and, subject to that, work could commence when ground conditions allow either this autumn or next spring.

Funding for the work is being met by the Bourne Stream Partnership and SITA Environmental Trust through the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.

The Bourne Stream Partnership consists of Bournemouth Borough Council, Borough of Poole, English Nature, Environment Agency, Bournemouth University, Wessex Water, Bournemouth and West Hants Water Co, Greenlink, Bournemouth Oceanarium, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Dorset Coastal Forum.

It has three main aims:

• improve quality of life by developing access to the stream
• promote sustainable development by encouraging the use of sustainable drainage systems in proposed developments in the catchment
• improve water quality and habitat by the development on in-stream features, such as ponds, meanders etc.

For further information please contact:

Public Relations, The Environment Agency, Tel. (01392) 444000