Barnwood Park and Arboretum


The Balancing Pond

The Balancing Pond is situated south of the Park and was a cricket pitch originally, laid down by the Barnwood Hospital. When the area around the Park and Arboretum was developed for housing, the Gloucester City Council constructed a balancing pond on the site, to manage the extra rain run off which was a consequence of the urban development. During episodes of very heavy rain, water diverts from Wotton Brook into the Balancing Pond, which stores it and then releases it later at a controlled rate, to prevent flooding downstream. The Balancing Pond has a capacity to hold approximately 20,000 cubic meters of water equivalent to 8 Olympic size swimming pools.


The newly created wetland area of the Balancing Pond

The wildflower meadows

Looking down the Balancing Pond towards the wetland area

Ducks on the Balancing Pond after heavy rain in October 2021

Wotton Brook provides a habitat corridor for wildlife through Gloucester City, linking the Cotswolds with the River Severn. A number of diverse habitats exist around the Arboretum and the Balancing Pond, which have been enhanced to support wildlife. 

In 2020/2021 work was undertaken by Gloucester City Council to create wetland areas at the east end of the Balancing Pond along with wildflower meadows on the wider site. These areas are still maturing and we wait to see how they naturalise and develop. The meadows will be cut twice a year to ensure that they continue to flourish and produce a colourful display of wildflowers annually.

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