Essential reservoir safety work at Osborne’s Pond

Essential safety work will start at Derbyshire County Council-run Shipley Country Park next week to improve the stability of the dam at Osborne’s Pond.

The water level in Osborne’s Pond will be temporarily lowered and, from Monday 6th July 2026, Shipley Lane bridleway will be closed at the point it crosses the dam, close to the entrance from Roper Avenue, to allow the work to take place.

The closure will be in place for a distance of around 250 metres and will be closed to all users including walkers, cyclists, horse-riding and all other traffic.

Other footpath and bridleway routes around Osborne’s Pond will not be affected by the works and will remain open. The alternative routes for vehicles will be via Mapperley Lane or Bell Lane.

Contractors CT Construction Ltd have been appointed to carry out the work which involves lowering the weir to reduce the volume of water and remodelling the downstream slope of the dam to increase its stability. Work is expected to be completed by the end of November.

The county council has a legal duty to maintain the safety of the pond – which is actually classified as a reservoir – and the work is time-sensitive as it is neither safe nor feasible to carry out major earthworks on the dam during the winter.

Councillor Carol Wood, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “We’re committed to protecting and improving our environment and public spaces and this construction work is needed to ensure we can continue to keep visitors and the surrounding area safe.

“We’re putting measures in place to help protect wildlife in the pond during the safety works and we’ll do all we can to make sure the project is completed as quickly as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience which may be caused.”