The National Trust is facing a backlash from residents and heritage organisations over proposals to transform a Cotswolds parkland into experimental wetland habitat.
The charity’s controversial £200,000 scheme would dramatically alter the Georgian-era landscape at The Sherborne Estate.
Under the proposals, new water-logged areas and fallen timber would be introduced where two ornamental lakes currently exist.
However, critics argue the radical redesign amounts to destruction of cherished countryside that has defined the valley for centuries.
Multiple statutory bodies have united in opposition, including the Gardens Trust, Gloucestershire Garden and Landscape Trust, Sherborne Parish Council and Cotswold District Council’s senior biodiversity officer.
They contend the trust’s vision represents a fundamental betrayal of its preservation mandate.
The proposed changes would replace the traditional pastoral setting with what planners describe as a “re-imagining” of the historic landscape.
Long-standing residents have voiced deep distress at what they describe as systematic deterioration under the charity’s stewardship.
The scheme would alter the landscape at The Sherborne Estate
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Dawn Tremaine, 91, whose family managed the estate for three generations before the National Trust assumed control, said witnessing the decline made her feel “utterly sick”.
Her daughter Annabel, 57, recalled the “singular beauty of the Broadwater when it was properly maintained” and condemned the “disgrace and travesty” of decades-long neglect through inadequate maintenance and dredging.
Parish council chair Yvonne Blankley, 61, questioned how an organisation dedicated to protecting heritage could “actively seek to change it forever”.
She revealed that despite multiple letters to director-general Hilary McGrady explaining community concerns, she had never received a personal response.
Sherborne Brook is the centre of a row
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Cotswold District Council’s senior biodiversity officer Luke Etheridge recommended refusing the application, stating insufficient evidence had been provided to demonstrate achievable biodiversity gains.
The heritage organisations’ joint submission argued that the trust wrongly treats the area as natural wetland rather than recognising its status as historic designed parkland.
They urged the council to reject the proposals, advocating instead for a restoration scheme that properly conserves the lakes’ significance whilst addressing siltation through ongoing management.
Bruce Fletcher, representing 30 owners at grade II listed Sherborne House overlooking the lakes, warned the application “risks entrenching long-term degradation rather than reversing it”.
Mr Fletcher cited additional evidence of inadequate stewardship including deteriorating sheaf houses, crumbling stone walls and the decaying Old Park enclosure.
Alistair Hett, 81, a retired agricultural salesman who moved to the area 24 years ago, lamented: “When I moved here it was clear water and full of birds, swans and ducks.
“It was lovely and now there is nothing and it’s dead. It’s the wildlife we miss.”
The National Trust defended its approach, with a spokeswoman stating that their comprehensive strategy would secure a sustainable future for Sherborne Brook.
A National Trust spokeswoman told The Times: “Following extensive consultation, our new long-term plan will provide a sustainable future for Sherborne Brook, starting with re-digging drainage ditches to reduce silt build-up from extreme rainfall.
“The next phase aims to slow the flow of water through this landscape. This will boost habitats for species like water voles and otters, lock in more carbon and help increase resilience in times of drought.
“At the same time our plans will honour the historical significance of the landscape by maintaining areas of visible open water and safeguarding the brook for generations to come.
“Caring for places of historic and natural beauty remains at the very heart of what we do, so looking after places like Sherborne is central to our cause.”