Chard Reservoir set for a makeover to improve visitor experience
Locals are being invited to give their say on what should be changed.
Chard Reservoir could soon get exciting new facilities to make it easier for schoolchildren and community groups to visit the area.
The reservoir, which is owned by Somerset Council, is a designated local nature reserve and has enjoyed Green Flag status for the last 14 years.
The site currently has limited amenities for visitors, with only one compost toilet located on the opposite side of the reservoir to the children’s play area and outdoor education zone.
After securing a small grant before Christmas 2024, the Chard Reservoir Volunteer Group is now inviting local residents to hear how these facilities could be enhanced in the coming months, with a public meeting being held on May 21.
The volunteers group announced the meeting in a post on the nature reserve’s official Facebook page on Wednesday (April 23).
A spokesman said: “You may have noticed that over the past few years, the amount of public engagement events or sessions has increased as well – something we are really proud of here at the reserve.
“However, lack of facilities has become increasingly noticeable, not just to members of the public, but to school and community groups who are limited with visitations to the site, because their groups cannot be here long enough to cope without these amenities.
“This is incredibly frustrating from both our point of view, and for the groups who wish to join us on outdoor educational sessions which would be an enriching experience for them – and it is our non-existent facilities that let us down..
“So we want to change that – but we cannot to it alone. We do require the help of volunteers from the community who wish to embark on fundraising ventures to help us strive to reach our goals of bettering the facilities here.
“We are inviting you to join us to understand the reality of what we want to achieve, and how we want to achieve it.”
The volunteers group was awarded £1,500 from the Tesco Stronger Starts Scheme in December 2024 towards creating a mobile woodland classroom and supporting environmental activities for local children.
The new classroom is designed to be portable, being constructed out of rope, fencing, and a parachute tarpaulin roof, meaning it can be set up at various places to allow children to explore and experience different areas of the reservoir.
Councillor Graham Oakes, Somerset Council’s portfolio holder for public health, environment and climate change, stated at the time: “This project is a fantastic example of how community support and corporate partnerships can enhance local environmental education
“The new mobile classroom will not only provide a unique learning experience for children, but also promote greater accessibility and engagement with our natural spaces – all of which helps Somerset become greener and more sustainable.”
The meeting will be held at the Boden Centre on Boden Street (where the Chard Community Hub is based) on Wednesday, May 21 between 6:30pm and 8pm.
Chaffcombe Lane – the main road linking the reservoir to Chard town centre via the A358 Furnham Road – will be closed to vehicles from Monday (April 28) until July 11 to allow the council and the Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) to make vital improvements to the reservoir’s dam, reducing the risk of localised flooding.
The Anglers car park will be off-limits during this time except to club members, who will have to access it via the Chaffcombe site – with all other vehicles having to park at the Oaklands car park at the bottom of Oaklands Avenue.
Pedestrian access to the reservoir, via both the Stop Line Way and the Oaklands car park (across Touches Lane), will be maintained throughout.