Maintaining a cherished pond in Faversham
Published
Tuesday 2 December, 2025
Updated
Tuesday 2 December, 2025
We have teamed up with Faversham Town Council to support a local friends group’s efforts to maintain a cherished pond in Faversham.
The Friends of the Westbrook & Stonebridge Pond received funding from the local councils to apply Siltex, an aquatic chalk, to Stonebridge Pond to help reduce the build-up of silt.
Silt, which is made up mainly of road run off and decomposing vegetation, has been building up in the pond since the gunpowder plant closed in the early 20th century.
In some areas there is only 20 centimetres of water above three meters of silt, which puts the future of the pond at risk if nothing is done to tackle the build-up.
The calcium carbonate powder will increase the pond’s oxygenation and speed up the breakdown of organic material in the silt, helping reduce the sediment, improve water quality, and support biodiversity.
Cllr Dolley Wooster, chair of Swale Borough Council’s Environmental Services and Climate Change Committee, said:
“The work that the friend’s group has been putting into maintaining this important greenspace has been incredible, it is amazing to see people taking such pride in and care for their pond and stream.
“Without their support the Stonebridge Pond wouldn’t be the much-loved place for local to enjoy that it is, and we are very grateful for their ongoing efforts.
“We are pleased to be able to support them, along with others, with funding to tackle the issue of sediment in the pond and ultimately help boost the area’s important biodiversity.”
Anna Stonor, Secretary of the Friends of the Westbrook & Stonebridge Pond, said:
“Stonebridge Pond may look as pretty as a picture, but underneath the surface, things have been building up, so we have been coordinating local efforts to tackle siltation in the stream and pond.
“In the stream, this has been done via the installation of a ‘low-flow channel’ where natural materials have been used to create narrower, wavy channels which encourage the movement of silt aside and down the stream, exposing the gravel bed and improving habitat for invertebrates, fish, bats and birds. This approach, however, is not suitable for the pond as it is much deeper.
“As such, the Friends have been working with Swale Borough Council, Faversham Town Council, Stonebridge Allotment Society, the Environment Agency and others to investigate alternative approaches, and we have decided to trail the use of aquatic chalk to help maintain the pond.”
Cllr Claire Martin, chair of Faversham Town Council’s Environment Committee, said:
"We were really pleased to partner with Swale Borough Council and the Friends of the Westbrook & Stonebridge Pond on this important environmental project.
“Stonebridge Pond is a beloved destination in Faversham, especially for families.
“It is vital that we continue to maintain this environmental haven for the numerous species that call it home."
The Environment Agency, Natural England, the Marine Management Organisation and the Internal Drainage Board have approved the trial.
If you are interested in finding out more about the Friends of the Westbrook & Stonebridge Pond, visit their website here.
