Councillor Tom Briars?Delve (Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change) introduced the Central Park Ponds Update Report and discussed:

a)     This was the third scrutiny update on the project within the year;

b)    The July 2025 report had included a bullet?pointed list of works scheduled for the summer, and each of those commitments had now been delivered;

c)     Soil movement from Barn Park Sports Pitch to Reservoir Field had been completed alongside levelling of the sports pitch, installation of pitch drainage, and levelling of Reservoir Field;

d)    Grass seeding across the affected areas had been undertaken and was now completed;

e)     Planting on the northern pond remained underway in accordance with the seasonal requirements for tree planting, with winter being the optimum planting period. Tree?planting works would continue over the coming month;

f)      Additional works beyond those originally listed had also been completed, including end?of?season maintenance at South Pond and improvements to fencing around Reservoir Field;

g)     The previous six months had been “incredibly productive” following earlier challenges, and officers were now providing the regular updates that scrutiny had previously requested.

In response to questions, the Panel discussed:

h)    Recognition of visible improvement on site, and welcomed confirmation of the completed phases of work;

i)      Recognition of residents concerns and frustrations. It was confirmed that the only remaining elements were tree planting, minor fencing adjustments and final asset checks, and that most delays related to protecting newly seeded ground. Temporary fencing remained in one section due to fresh grass seeding;

j)      Councillor Briars?Delve emphasised that removing the fencing prematurely would have resulted in trampling, mud, and the need for reseeding the following year;

k)     While no exact removal date could be given due to weather dependency, fencing would be removed as soon as the ground was stable enough to withstand footfall;

l)      Some fencing sections had partially fallen, giving the impression that fencing had been abandoned. It was confirmed that staff from the Green Communities Team, who were regularly on?site, would continue monitoring fencing with project team oversight during landscaping activity;

m)   Members were encouraged to report collapsed fencing as casework so it could be corrected immediately;

n)    Members sought reflections on learning from the project to inform future parks schemes. Councillor Briars?Delve highlighted the impact of climate change on rainfall intensity and frequency, referencing that August 2025 had seen the second?highest daily rainfall in Plymouth’s recorded history;

o)    Sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) would need to feature more prominently in future projects across Council green spaces and in partnership schemes with organisations such as Plymouth Community Homes;

p)    Lessons from Central Park were already being applied to the Trefusis Park scheme in Lipson Vale, another SuDS?driven project affecting up to 150 properties, where improved communications, school visits, public engagement, monthly updates and contract management processes had directly drawn on Central Park experience;

q)    Members welcomed the positive progress at Trefusis Park and recognised the importance of resilience?based planning given predicted increases in rainfall.

Action: Officers to continue monitoring and maintaining temporary fencing and to respond promptly to reports of fallen sections.

The Panel agreed:

1. To note the update on the Central Park Ponds Project.