Desborough Island Consultation

Desborough Island Consultation - Have your say on the proposed improvement works.

Desborough Island is a River Thames beauty spot that supports much wildlife and is popular with local dog walkers and anglers as well as nature lovers.

Elmbridge Borough Council would like to see the island's environmental and amenity potential fulfilled. Working in partnership with the Environment Agency, the Council is close to securing a grant from an Environmental Improvement Fund. As part of this process, the public is invited to express their views on the improvement scheme, which will create safer access for all including a sign-posted waterside path along a restored riverbank.

Proposed improvements:
- Habitat restoration
- Scrub clearance for enhanced views and public safety
- Path improvements to provide circular route
- Better signposting
- Wheelchair accessible path to riverside and picnic area
- Creation of safer car park
- Carefully sited benches
- Public information boards (beauty spots will be clearly signposted with environmental information explaining the island's Site of Nature Conservation Importance status).

Please play a part in shaping your local environment by taking part in the survey.

Fill in the online questionaire

Consultation closing on 14 January 2011.

Chaps if you fish the area, have your say using the link above

Chaps, bumping this.

In another piece of documentation I've seen, they're proposing "designated fishing areas".

That could be read two ways and I don't know if its their intention but none of us want signs up saying we can only fish in designated areas.

Please do the survey and stress anglers want to be able to fish from all the island.

From London upstream, it's the first place you can tuck yourself away properly and feels like you're on a rural stretch. Let's not lose that.

If we lose the right to fish the whole island purely thru our apathy it will be only ourselves to blame.

Takes 2 minutes....

Job done!

Just keep mentioning the TAC, the tidy ups, access to all areas for fisherman, the 'Big Society' and your willingness to assist with the "Friends of Desborough Island".


Richard

click on the link chaps, its all so simple even a meerkat could do it

times running out, only 8 days left

imagine what they'd think if all the TAC members responded, we'd have a chance of calling some of the shots,

you'd be sitting at home thinking, I helped get desbrough island pukka for fishing

its all down to weight of numbers singing the same song, so please please get on it folks

filled in the short from.well worth doing can have ur say on what should be done. only problem is it sounds as they are thinking of makeing no fishing areas!

andrew o'neill wrote:

filled in the short from.well worth doing can have ur say on what should be done. only problem is it sounds as they are thinking of makeing no fishing areas!

That's the way I read it aswell Andrew - hope I'm wrong.

Get on this chaps. If you have ever fished Desborough or think you may want to in future please take out the time it boils a kettle to doubly make sure we can fish the whole island.

Just filled in the survey, dont really want to many changes down there especially if the fishing access is going to be affected !

Have been down there two times recently havent caught a thing.

chaps the designated fishing areas, are I believe only part of the suggestions
these people dont understand fish move from swim to swim
we'll obviously oppose this suggestion
hopefully enough anglers will respond and we wont have to rely on the magna carta

in the meantime, well six days, hows about getting the link on other forums
maybe explain that we'll reciprocate to all brothers of the angle, we can all visit one anothers venues
meaning we have a genuine interest in any development anywhere

Consultation closes tomorrow - please take 2 mins to answer their questions.

This is a prime bit of the river so have your say.

Get on it chaps... without your input we'll lose it...


Richard

Done, as has been said, it only takes a few minutes and well worth it IMO

The consultation closed 14 Jan but hopefully they'll still take your views into account Rob

Doh! look before you leap, or read before you reply!
nevermind, hopefully as you say they will take it into account

went there today, had a look around , water very slow and clear, a few bits of rubbish around , nothing to big, on talking to a local dog walker, she said that she has seen a few dead carp(ish) and that her dogs keeps rolling on them, systums of the fish might mean a otter on the island

nice one keith, regarding dead fish, as you know its not unusual at spawning time
the EA have an event on there this sunday

This was the final result of the consultation, I believe the initial funds were turned down, will get TAC admin to find anymore info.

Date taking place: From 17 December 2010 to 7 January 2011

Description: Face to face survey on site and online questionnaire.


Results: Results for proposed improvements:

Scrub clearance for enhanced views and public safety 63% good /very good
Habitat restoration 73.7% good /very good
Safer car parking 68.3% good /very good
Improved path surfaces 59% good /very good
Benches 55.2% good /very good
Wheelchair accessible paths 53% good /very good
Directional Signposts 43% good /very good
Public information boards 50% good /very good
Picnic area 45% good /very good
Designated fishing platforms 42% good /very good
Dog waste bins 87.8% good /very good
We asked: Public views on suggestions for physical improvements to Desborough Island

You said: That there were some aspects that needed improvement

We did: Used the information in a grant application to the Veolia landfill tax scheme in order to implement some of the proposals.

I didnt realise that we pay someone to take our rubbish, then because it goes in landfill, they are penalised, and to reduce that penalty, they use our money to offer us a grant

David Harvey wrote:

This was the final result of the consultation, I believe the initial funds were turned down

Well pleased funds were turned down.

Being the first place on the river you get to coming out of London that feels like countryside and natural, would be a shame to get it too sanitised.