Council agrees to long-term stewardship of Canvey Lake to secure its environmental future

The Council will now accept a request from Canvey Island Town Council to surrender the lease for the Lake, paving the way for a long-term programme to restore the Lake’s water quality, biodiversity and wider environmental health.

This follows several years of increasing environmental challenges at the Lake and the growing impact of climate change on shallow, standing water bodies. 

Canvey Lake is an important public open space at the heart of the island and plays a vital role in surface water attenuation (holding excess rainwater so it doesn’t overwhelm the drainage system). Alongside its drainage role, the lake is a Local Nature Reserve and a much-loved community park used by residents for walking, recreation and access to the town centre.

The long, hot summer of 2022 caused water deoxygenation across the country, including at Canvey Lake. Extreme heat, evaporation and an excessive fish population resulted in a major environmental incident that required a coordinated multi agency response.

To better understand the Lake’s ecology, the Town Council commissioned an ecology report. The report was clear that no one measure can resolve all issues. Instead, a long-term, multi layered programme is required across a site stretching almost 2 km in length and covering 4.4 hectares.

The Town Council has worked hard to deliver improvements but as a small organisation with limited staff, financial pressures it has been unable to deliver the scale of ecological intervention required.

Given the complexity of the environmental challenges and the need for input from national bodies, the Town Council formally requested that Castle Point Borough Council takes back responsibility for Canvey Lake. 

As well as accepting the surrender of the lease, Castle Point Borough Council will commit to:

1.    Funding early environmental action
The Council will allocate funding to deliver a new Water Quality Contract, which aims to:
•    reduce nutrient levels in lake sediments
•    inhibit algae blooms
•    improve water oxygenation
•    monitor ongoing water quality

2.    Convening key statutory and environmental partners
A new Canvey Lake Stakeholder Forum will be established to bring together:
•    Environment Agency
•    Anglian Water
•    Essex County Council (Lead Local Flood Authority)
•    Essex Wildlife Trust
•    Waterwatch UK
•    Canvey Island Town Council 

This will ensure access to independent technical advice and strong collaborative oversight across the different partners. 

3. Linking long-term work to the Canvey Island Pride in Place Board
The Pride in Place Regeneration Plan includes a dedicated project for Canvey Lake Park, with commitments to:
•    restore ecological quality in partnership with environmental agencies
•    deliver education and engagement programmes for residents
•    improve safety, accessibility and active travel links
•    invest in high-quality public realm and family play spaces

Funding through Pride in Place offers 20 years of investment, giving stability and long-term support to the lake’s recovery.

Members have agreed in principle to allocate up to £500,000 from the £2.5m capital programme to match the funding offered by the Pride in Place Board. A final decision can be made by Cabinet once the Pride in Place proposals are confirmed.

Cllr Warren Gibson, Deputy Leader of Castle Point Borough Council said: “Canvey Lake is one of the island’s most cherished natural assets and we are committed to securing its long‑term environmental future. By taking back stewardship and bringing all the key agencies around the same table, we can deliver the scale of intervention the lake urgently needs and ensure it remains a healthy, vibrant space for generations to come."