Comberton Parish Council are running an online survey about the recreation facilities that the village should plan to have in the future.
The Parish Council is extending the deadline to submit a response to the Recreation Facilities Survey to 31st January 2023. The more responses we receive, the stronger our applications for funding will be. Note that we accept one response per resident. Groups are invited to email a letter to the clerk ( @ ). If you have any questions, or if you would like to help, please contact the clerk. Many thanks
The online survey is here, it closes on 31st January 2023.
CPC needs more responses from the old age groups, and teenagers to reflect better our village demographics!!
As of late November 2022 our Village Pond has recovered well as the ground water level has risen through the gravel beds (click image for bigger picture)
Below is what it looked like ten years ago, before many of the invasive plants were ‘donated’.
People hope to see a floating island added to act as a sanctuary for breeding moorhens etc
Pictures of the works were added as the project evolved – last updated 24th November 2022
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pond
Two pictures show that the coir matting laid over the earthworks up’hill’ of the boundary have now been covered and some plants are already growing up through it !
The outfall from the field drain hasn’t yet shown any flow in the recent days of rain but the one from the Green End gulley has, but unfortunately has washed some of the seeds away. I have added a splash area of stones to disperse it a bite, hopefully.
The Ducks have returned for their daily bath at 7am (I am told) and now the planting is greening after the arid summer…
Planting for Coir Rolls
AGA’s native wetland plants are selected for their adaptation to varied physical conditions and also provide excellent cover for invertebrates, fish and other animals. All the rolls are planted at their Merton Hall Ponds nursery using mature bare roots (MBR).
They plant the coir rolls with 6 plants per metre – a mix of four from:
AGA will return in late autumn or the spring to plant further plants in better conditions than this summer !
PLEASE Do NOT put ANY plants or fish into the pond !
Re-introduction of appropriate plants is being done slowly and systematically by CPC’s Pond Working Group to encourage bio-diversity and to stop non-native and invasive species causing the pond to revert to its poor state in 2021.
Work on the village pond started on Monday 25th July and was expected to last three weeks. During that timeframe the area around the village pond was inaccessible, protected by fencing. Residents should take care around the site, particularly when contractor vehicles are moving around the site. They will be removing the island, dredging the silt, deepening the pond, removing the plants, repairing the brick work and then adding plants at the end of the project. It is not being re-lined.
This work has been funded by a £10k grant from the The National Lottery Community Fund (championed by Claire Coulson and the CPC Pond Working Group) and two pre-allocated budget amounts from last years and this years CPC budgets (i.e. from residents precept).
The Comberton Nature Recovery Advisory Group have published their 63 pages comprehensive report on Nature Recovery in Comberton; Habitat and Biodiversity Audit 2026
Their report describes the state of nature in the village in 2025 in relation to geography and landscape history. It identifies we are fortunate to live in a historic rural landscape providing vital habitat for our diminished wildlife. It provides:
An introduction to the village environment, indicating why the area is important as a landscape and wildlife habitat.
A summary of work completed as part of the Diocese of Ely Churchyard Conservation Scheme.
Detail of the village habitat and ecosystem based on a Phase 1 habitat assessment in 2024, which identifies parts of the parish where habitats and biodiversity can be enhanced.
The Authors were Robert Cook, Mark Collins, Mike Crosby, Francine Hughes, Paul Hardy, James Miles (CPC), Beverley Page (CPC), Elizabeth O’Beirne Ranelagh (FWAG) and Chris Westgarth (St Mary’s Church)
They acknowledged the invaluable assistance from volunteers….
” We are indebted to the volunteers who have helped monitor wildlife and habitats around the churchyard, especially Brian McCabe, for recording bats, Roger Featherstone and Peter Pillbeam, with the Cambridge Mammal Group, for recording small mammals, Andrew Gallichan and Geoff Wilson for recording birds and butterflies, Ann Miles who has made regular botanical surveys and the Cambridge Bryophyte Group
We also thank the village residents who have provided information for the audit and comments on draft versions. We would also like to acknowledge the group of village surveyors who gave their time during the summer of 2024 to walk the whole parish in order to create the Phase 1 habitat base map. They included Bill Adams, Jo Callan, Robert Cook, Steve Clark, Claire Crang, John Crang, Mike Crosby, Paul Hardy, Quin Hollick, Francine Hughes, Geoff King, Lynn Tatnell, Charmian Wall, David Wall and Chris Westgarth
