20 Nov 2023
One of the top men in charge of rail freight development company Segro has said an angling club will have to remove unauthorised fencing at a country park.
It’s just a few weeks since Verulam Angling Club fenced off sections of Frogmore Lakes surrounding Moor Hill Fisheries, prompting a huge outcry from local residents.
They included Park Street councillor Nuala Webb, who reported it to SADC’s planning enforcement team.
She said: “The club’s fisheries manager Barry Killinger said that the reason for putting up the fencing was on health and safety grounds to protect fishermen from attacks by dogs. I asked whether he had evidence of reports to the police about this, and he then retracted this statement and said that the dogs swam in the lakes, got entangled with fishing tackle and bait, and were a nuisance.
“He also claimed that people swam in the lakes, and that Verulam Angling Club had invested a huge amount of money in stocking the lakes and maintaining the habitat of the lakes and this entitled them to put up the fencing.
“There may well be a problem with some dogs, however, I think there may well be other less intrusive and divisive ways of settling issues like this.
“These lakes were provided for the local residents as a whole and not just for the angling club.
“An ecologist, Simon Deaco, who works for National Geographic, also reported the fencing as a danger to wildlife. It has very large mesh which can lead to wildfowl and other wildlife becoming caught up in it, rather than using chicken wire type fencing which is safer.
“Fencing between the River Ver and the lakes also prevents wildlife crossing between the two, which they have regularly done, as it is safer for tiny cygnets, goslings, ducklings etc on the Ver, as pike predate these on the lakes when they are very small.
“The lakes are home to a vast range of wildfowl. Swans regularly nest on an island, as do geese, ducks, herons, coots and moorhens, kingfishers, egrets and green parakeets. Deer, badgers, foxes and a wide range of other animals also live in this area.
“I have also spoken to the headteacher of the neighbouring Park Street Primary School, which does class outings to the lakes, and whose parents regularly take their children to the lakes after school.
“She is concerned that they now are restricted from accessing the lakes, as well as narrowing the paths which are regularly used by cyclists, runners and walkers as well as families and dog walkers.”
The site is owned by rail freight developers Segro following its sale by Tarmac earlier this year, and John Thompson, the company’s development director for national logistics, contacted the club after being made aware of the fencing.
He said: “The angling club has been made aware of the complaints and they have assured us that they will take down the fencing.”
Coverage of the controversy has provoked a backlash from club members and supporters, who have spoken out in support of their efforts to maintain the site.
Resident Bekki Usherr said: “I have walked around these lakes for many years now. I also ride my horse here regularly, walk the dogs and use it as a space for my children to explore the outdoors. I often see fishermen going round the lakes litter picking, bagging up dog mess left behind and participating in what they call work parties to take care of the lakes and surrounding area. What a fabulous job they’ve done!
“Personally I think the fencing is a brilliant idea. It gives me huge relief knowing that my children and dogs are safe behind fencing away from some pretty deep water but should we want to approach the lake we still can. It will also give the ducks and geese some safety from free roaming dogs who I’ve often seen chase them and their young. It makes the place in my opinion look maintained and cared for and not ‘just another footpath’. It almost gives it a country park feeling.”
Angler Mark Frame said: “Unfortunately it would seem that most of the local residents have very short memories and have forgotten the era of the burnt-out and damaged cars, the drug taking and other unseemly goings on at the lakes before it was taken over by the local fishing club.
“The amount of time and money that has been spent renovating the lakes by the members at no cost to the locals or out of the local parish budget is immeasurable. All the works that have been carried out have only ever been for the benefit and safety of ALL users.
“I’m sure the locals would moan if old Rover went into the lakes again and got cut to pieces on an abandoned stolen motor bike like the ‘good old days’ that have long been forgotten about.”
Fisherman Mark Gloster agreed: “The public should look back before the club took control off them the area was full off rubbish and drug paraphernalia, rat-infested, overgrown and not a very safe place to be walking at night. As most people can see the place has never looked so good and I hope the club can still be able to continue their great work as it would be a shame to see it go back to how it was.”
Steve Butler has been a member of the club for 20 years, and has used the lakes since he was a baby: “The fencing is to stop incidents of excited dogs entering certain swims to give everyone a safer time on the fishery, stopping dogs defecating and weeing up anglers’ bags which happens on a regular basis. A lot of dog walkers are sensible and are always happy to have a chat.
“The lakes should be enjoyed by everyone be it an angler, a cyclist, a dog walker, or a family feeding the wildlife – there’s plenty of space for everyone.”
Fishery officer at the Moor Mill site, Neil Glenister, added: “We are the only people who maintain the site, as volunteers I might add, with no support either financial or with manpower from the local council or the general public who use the site. We take our role as custodians of the countryside very seriously, clearing litter and dog mess (often in bags!) from the bushes and verges, ensuring access is maintained around the site for the public and dog walkers and keeping a close eye on the health of the wildlife around the site, and reporting any issues to the relevant authorities.
“As anglers on a public access site we deal with various issues on a daily basis, including unruly, uncontrolled dogs running through our tackle and jumping into the water where we are fishing, which apart from the financial cost to the anglers to replace broken items, is extremely dangerous for the dogs themselves with hooks and lines involved.
“Other issues include inquisitive children wanting to touch and play with the fishing tackle, and kids swimming and boating in the pits, with no life jackets or safety concerns at all!
“A very little-known fact is that under the terms of our license we are not allowed to have dogs on the part of the land we rent, so without actively attempting to stop dogs going in the water and surrounding banks we would be in breach of our land agreement. The fact there has been large signage up for years on the bridge and at the branch road entrance detailing that dogs must be kept on a lead and under control at all times is just ignored by the general public.”
