Offerton Lane Nature Reserve has turned into 'dirty swamp'

However, work is continuing behind the scenes to return the wetlands at the Offerton Lane Nature Reserve near Warndon Villages in Worcester to their former glory.

Zoe Cookson, chair of the Environment Committee, said active solutions to the longstanding problem were being sought as concerned city councillors raised their concerns.

Cllr John Rudge, a Liberal democrat city councillor, spoke of the issues at the Offerton Lane nature reserve which is made up of two wetland areas, a reedbed and a pond. 

There are so few areas of reedbed left in Worcester that it makes the site an important one as a habitat for reed buntings and various warblers as well as herons, kingfishers, ducks and buzzards.

These areas, he said, are part of the old Vengen Wetland and should play a vital role as filtration ponds that help to clean water coming from the Villages before it flows on to the Barbourne Brook.

He said: "The pond could have had a filtration trap put in to collect any silt flowing from the ditches that run into it from silting up the pond, but, because this wasn't done, the pond is now very heavily silted up and the open water has been reduced by approximately half as the willow trees and rushes have colonised the silted up areas.

"Because the water doesn't flow as it should, it is no longer cleaned by the reeds, and it has become a slightly dirty black swamp and, at times, is quite smelly.

"This nature reserve should be a jewel in the crown of the Wild About Worcester Way walk but is currently more of a blot on the landscape after so many years of neglect.

"When we visited the site recently with someone from Worcester Environmental Group we were not even able to walk round the reedbed area because it has become too overgrown. Hopefully, the first thing we can do with the support from WEG is to re-open the areas to see what work needs to be done.

"We have raised concerns with the Environment Committee at the city council and have had one officer from the council visit and agree that work needs to be done. We hope to be able to ensure some funding is made available to help restore these fantastic areas to their original function as a nature reserve that helps to clean the water coming off the roads and ponds in the Villages, as well as provide a beautiful space for people to relax and enjoy the rich variety of wildlife that it supports."

It is not the first environmental problem to come to public attention after we reported how the Lyppard Grange Ponds near the shops in Warndon Villages have turned a bright shade of green after being invaded by weeds.

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Zoe Cookson, chair of the Environment Committee, said: "I am aware of the longstanding issues at Offerton Lane and can confirm that the council is actively investigating options for this area.

"These will be considered as part of a new biodiversity strategy that is being developed in response to the biodiversity emergency and will be considered by Environment Committee later this year."