The City of London Corporation, which manages the Heath as a registered charity, has published an updated draft business plan covering the financial years 2026/27 until 2030/31. More than 70 actions are listed, ranging from plans to engage with Barnet Council on flood mitigation strategies to fairly substantial material changes.
Professor Jeff Waage, a Trustee of the Heath and Hampstead Society, said the group supports the draft plan, which he said will “improve the Heath as a resource for both people and wildlife”.
The Corporation’s five-year business plans for its green spaces, which as well as Hampstead Heath include Highgate Wood and Epping Forest, are updated on a rolling basis. While the draft plan covers the full five years it currently focuses on 2026/27 and 2027/28. It is due to go before the Hampstead Heath Consultative Committee next week for discussion and is expected to be approved in early February.
In the plan an extensive list of potential actions are detailed and set against key themes. Some of these relate to the maintenance and conservation of the Heath, such as hosting grazing sheep and reviewing a study into the issue of pesticides from dogs on swimming ponds.
The Corporation is also proposing to create up to 70 leaky dams on streams to slow down the flow of water and around 11 new small ponds to mitigate flooding and improve habitats.
A number of actions relate to the bathing ponds, including re-landscaping the Mixed Pond and assessing its seasonal use, improving the outdoor space at the Ladies’ Pond and reviewing access policies.
Opportunities to install a padel or pickleball court are also to be explored, as is the additional earning potential of the Heath from the likes of corporate events and filming.
Professor Waage said: “We have been particularly involved with CoLC [City of London Corporation] and other partners co-developing a number of the proposed activities, through organising scientific research and generating support for the work, including activities like Sheep on the Heath, Pesticides in Dog Swimming Ponds, Wildlife Island in the Model Boating Pond, the Camden Nature Corridor and Hedgehog Research.
“These Business Plan activities are aspirational in that many do not currently have funding and we understand CoLC will be seeking external funding to support their development. We will be helping with this.”
Chair of the City of London Corporation’s Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Committee Alderman Gregory Jones KC said: “We are always looking for opportunities to improve the ecology of the Heath, and to find new ways of making it an enjoyable place for people to visit.
“As part of this ongoing work, in the early part of this year we will be removing a land causeway at the Model Boating Pond to create an undisturbed wildlife island for nesting and feeding birds.
“We are also looking at introducing a series of small, carefully positioned ponds along existing streams, designed to slow down water flow, manage flood risk and support wildlife. The ponds, which will be no more than 40 square metres, are in response to recommendations in the City Corporation’s Climate Action Strategy, to strengthen the Heath’s resilience to future climate impacts.
“Finally, we will be carrying out a feasibility study to examine the possibility of installing a padel court on the Heath, in response to the growing popularity of this sport and as a way of benefitting the health of Heath users.”
