Broadwater Conservation Society

24/10/2026

Looks fascinating. A treasure of the 18th Century Oatlands Park estate of which our Broadwater Lake was also one. The Grotto was sadly lost to development but we can still save the beautiful lake and surrounding greenbelt.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EbQjbhoCQ/

Discover the story behind the lost Grotto at display in Cobham Library. See local historian John Wilkinson's remarkable scale model and read how one photograph inspired years of research to bring this forgotten piece of heritage back to life.
📍 Cobham Library, The Cedar Centre, Cedar Road,
📅 Tuesday to Saturday, 9.30am to 5pm, until February 2027
🔗 Read the blog: The Lost Grotto of Oatlands https://elmbridgemuseum.org.uk/the-lost-grotto-of-oatlands-how-a-picture-became-an-obsession-and-obsession-a-model/

16/10/2026

Volunteers out working hard this morning rescuing the alternative to the Broadwater Lake path alongside the horse paddocks through the Public Open Space Land. It's through the gate on the right just before the bridge over the ditch up to the lake - talking about the Walton end, of course!

We need it clear as the contractors are going to mend the breach in the lake in early November. Part of footpath will have to be shut, so we needed the diversion to be easily accessible. It rejoins the main footpath after 200 metres or so.

11/10/2026

Quite a lot of much needed discussion on the tentative proposals for St George's Weybridge to build on Greenbelt Land acquired over the last ten years or so. Many have mentioned the extent of the flood risk. (See next comment for the link)

The latest Environment Agency yearly chance of flooding between 2036 and 2069 shows a risk but a low one for the probable location. A big question would be access. It could be over the quite often flooded access road to Bannatyne Health Club & Spa Weybridge (the black dot on the map).

Or ... through their new road and car park and out to Grenside Road, into Grotto Road and then Thames Street ... or out past Abrook Farm towards Walton Bridge ... or just along the land recently cleared by the lake next to the Public Footpath. Lots of options!

09/10/2026

The letter below has been sent to select local residents by the Headmaster of St George's Weybridge. It is about a proposal to build housing on some of the fields they have been acquiring over recent years adjacent to their estate. It's clearly a very serious proposal with time and money being invested in the process.

At BCS we aim to work constructively with all lake owners, lake bankside owners and the wider group of stakeholders and users of the Public Footpath to look after the lake, the path and the wider Broadwater area. A new housing would change the northern Thameside gap between Walton and Weybridge forever and set a precedent for that whole stretch of open land:

"I am writing to make you aware of proposals currently being explored for land owned by the school adjacent to Bannatyne Gym. This is a parcel of land that is surplus to the school's operational requirements and is not used for teaching, sport or other school activities.

As part of the Governors' responsibility to manage the school's assets for the long-term benefit of the school, they have appointed Olivia Estates to explore the potential residential development of this parcel of land.

While proposals are currently being developed, no planning application has yet been submitted, and any future development would be subject to the normal planning process.

As proposals evolve, Olivia Estates will lead community engagement and consultation activities, providing opportunities for interested parties to learn more and share feedback. Olivia Estates is currently planning a community consultation in November.

The Governors' priority is to ensure that any proposals are carefully considered and support the long-term interests of the school, while recognising the importance of maintaining positive relationships with our neighbours and wider community.

We will keep you informed as further information becomes available."

22/08/2026

And another one gone. Last of the big trees lying across Broadwater Lake was cleared up by our superb volunteers yesterday morning. All we need now is rain to refill the lake.

The lower photo is our next challenge: how to engage owners/residents on the far (south) bank to cut back their vegetation before it marches right across the lake? The lower photo is a patch on the border of woods and the woods at the back of playing field on land owned by Surrey County Council. Would love any of them to reach out to us!

11/08/2026

The current 2026 heatwave and drought are having a devastating effect on wildlife, especially around drying ponds and lakes. Broadwater Lake is no different. It is probably the worst year ever—partly due to climate change, but also because of decades of neglect, possibly longer.

The lake was dug out in the 1750s as part of a landscaped garden centred on a private estate, which was located on the current site of the Oatlands Park Hotel. That estate was broken up in the middle of the nineteenth century, and the lake and banksides were parcelled off in sales. There has been no single owner or manager since around 1850; that fact is one part of the challenge.

Bankside vegetation deposits old plant material each year—including dead leaves, falling branches, and even trees themselves—leading to a massive build-up of silt. Currently, silt makes up perhaps 90% of the lake, but it still occupies around two-thirds of it when the water is at its spring levels.

A few valiant attempts over the years by various parties have dug out some silt, cleared some bankside vegetation, and pulled debris from the lake. But it is a very big lake: a mile long and up to 100 metres wide.

Additionally, a small overflow has developed into a major leak near the Walton end (under the deteriorating bridge) that drains significant water from the lake each year. We have recently won a large grant from Elmbridge BC to fix it once we get Surrey County Council Flood Department approval (it is actually on Bannatyne Health Club & Spa Weybridge land and we have their permission).

A friend of the Society has taken drone videos to record the current shocking state of Broadwater Lake. The video flies from near the middle, westwards, up to the wall of reeds and trees blocking the lake section belonging to St George's Weybridge, and right to the very end belonging to Elmbridge BC itself. The whole lake is likely to resemble this western, Weybridge end without concerted pressure on stakeholders to protect it.

Our Society owns none of it but is keen to catalyse efforts to save it and conserve the unique character of the lake and the wider Broadwater area.

06/08/2026

Big question: What are St George's Weybridge Junior School doing to the playing field behind the school at the end of Grenside Road? It has been used as an informal car park for a year or two on occasion, but now hard standing appears to be being laid down over a very large area.

There may be some good arguments for a permanent car park to relieve parking pressure in local roads etc but the seemingly obvious change of use should be at least debated openly. And where is the gain for loss of green space?

We work hard to defend the existence of the wider Broadwater area as a peaceful and very necessary green space, including the public footpaths along the lake between Weybridge and Walton and, it passes along two sides of this playing field.

If the school would like to comment then please do, openly and publicly, to every stakeholder and interested party. If anyone else has any information then also please add a comment.

24/07/2026

Good morning's session pulling up Himalayan Balsam in the Broadwater area to prevent it gaining access to our, currently somewhat dried out, Lake. Big thank you to the volunteers who had a bit less to do in 2026 than 2025 and that was a bit less than 2024, all because a three year campaign is what it takes to reverse the spread. Hopefully even less in 2027!

20/07/2026

Reminder: come and help with our "Balsam Bash" on Friday 24th July, 09.00.

Himalayan Balsam threatens Broadwater Lake it needs to be tackled again. Without action the entire lake and surroundings will be swamped by this heavily invasive plant, crowding out most native vegetation, heavily disrupting local insects and wildlife and killing much life in the lake itself.

So, we have decided to have our third annual ‘Balsam Bash’ on the morning of Friday 24th July around and about the Broadwater Lake Public Footpath.

If you are able to help us, please meet up at the west end of Cowey Sale car park at 09.00 to set off around 09.15. Depending on numbers we should be done by 12.00.

Volunteers will need to wear good gardening gloves, fairly thick long trousers and long-sleeved tops as brambles and stinging nettles will be growing in close proximity, to avoid scratches and stings.

Rubber boots will also be a good idea if it's been wet as Balsam loves the damper and wetter areas. No tools are necessary. We will be simply pulling them up out of the ground from a lowish grab point on the main stem near the ground. They are then piled up with the roots in the air to prevent re-rooting.

Please bring drinks and a snack, drinks essential if warm. If over temperatures above 30C we will likely postpone, so watch this space.

10/07/2026

Volunteers wanted for a "Balsam Bash" on Friday 24th July

Himalayan Balsam threatens Broadwater Lake it needs to be tackled again. Without action the entire lake and surroundings will be swamped by this heavily invasive plant, crowding out most native vegetation, heavily disrupting local insects and wildlife and killing much life in the lake itself.

So, we have decided to have our third annual ‘Balsam Bash’ on the morning of Friday 24th July around and about the Broadwater Lake Public Footpath.

If you are able to help us, please meet up at the west end of Cowey Sale car park at 09.00 to set off around 09.15. Depending on numbers we should be done by 12.00.

Volunteers will need to wear good gardening gloves, fairly thick long trousers and long-sleeved tops as brambles and stinging nettles will be growing in close proximity, to avoid scratches and stings.

Rubber boots will also be a good idea if it's been wet as Balsam loves the damper and wetter areas. No tools are necessary. We will be simply pulling them up out of the ground from a lowish grab point on the main stem near the ground. They are then piled up with the roots in the air to prevent re-rooting.

Please bring drinks and a snack, drinks essential if warm. If over temperatures above 30C we will likely postpone, so watch this space.