Threat to Broadwater Lake SSSI

In 2023, thousands of people stood up for Broadwater Lake - a nationally protected Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) - when it was threatened by a planning application to build a new Hillingdon Watersports Facility and Activity Centre (HWSFAC). 

That public pressure forced Hillingdon Council to rethink its plans. But despite a number of changes, the future of this nationally important wildlife site is still at risk. Your support is needed once again to help protect it. 

Hillingdon Council has now submitted a revised planning application. Elements of the proposed Watersports Facility and Activity Centre have been scaled back. However, the fundamental issue remains unchanged: this development is still proposed within a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) - a place that exists first and foremost to protect wildlife. 

With one in six species in Britain now facing extinction, bringing increased and regular disturbance to Broadwater Lake risks turning a legally protected refuge into another casualty of the nature crisis. 

The Wildlife Trust was set up to protect and defend the most important places for nature. If we do not stand up for Broadwater Lake, we would be failing in that responsibility.  

That’s why we’re asking for your help to protect Broadwater Lake by submitting an objection to the revised planning application. With just five minutes of your time, you could make a real difference for nationally important wildlife. Simply click on the link and select ‘Enter Comment’. You'll find further guidance below.

Submit Your Objection Here

Why the development still puts wildlife at risk 

We recognise that the revised plans include improvements compared with the 2023 proposal, however, they do not resolve the core problem.

Broadwater Lake forms the largest part of the Mid-Colne Valley SSSI - a site of national importance for birds and other wildlife. In an increasingly busy and disturbed landscape, it functions as a vital refuge. SSSIs only cover around 8% of England. They are the backbone of nature conservation, protecting the habitats and species that sustain wider ecosystems.  

As local wildlife experts, drawing on decades of study of the birds of the Colne Valley, we believe the revised plans would still introduce intensive activity between April and September, directly overlapping with the breeding season and the late-summer recovery period for birds. This is when disturbance is most harmful, particularly for species already under severe pressure and in long-term national decline. 

Crucially, the revised application does not convincingly demonstrate that the key features of the SSSI will be protected from harm, as required by national policy. And once damaged, places like Broadwater Lake are extremely difficult to restore. 

A nationally protected site must be treated as such and not add to the damning statistics that place the UK as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. 

This is NOT about saying “no” to development 

We recognise the value that outdoor activities can bring and support opportunities for young people to connect with nature. We also acknowledge the work Hillingdon Council has done to review alternative sites and revise its plans. 

We want to work with partners to find solutions that support people and nature together. But a SSSI, given its national importance and legal protections, is not the right place for a leisure development.

What you can do to help protect Broadwater Lake SSSI

Here is the link to submit your comments on the revised plans by Friday 9^th January 2026 - but if you can find the time, earlier is better.

Submit Your Objection Here

Key points you could mention in your objection: 

• Broadwater Lake is a nationally protected SSSI, and, as such, should not be the site for this development.
• Increased activity during spring and summer risks disturbance at a critical time for wildlife.
• Many species using the site are already in severe decline, making protection more important than ever. You might wish to quote the findings from the Birds of Conservation Concern 5 report which listed the Pochard as being on the Red List and at threat of extinction, and the Shoveler as being on the Amber List.
• The proposed development is contrary to both national policy and the development plan contained in the London Plan and Hillingdon Local Plan. 

And you could ask Hillingdon Council to:

• Revisit alternative sites for the development, to support outdoor activity without placing further pressure on nationally protected habitats. 

If you live in Hillingdon Borough then you could get in touch with your Council representatives on the Planning Committee and/or your local MP to raise awareness of your concerns. And wherever you live, you can still reach out to your elected representatives (local Councillors or your MP) to share details of this nationally-relevant case.

We’ll be submitting our own detailed response in the new year, which we will share here, and continuing discussions with other organisations. You can also read more about the wildlife at risk below and about the original 2023 application and our response to it here.

Thank you, as always, for standing up for nature - constructively, positively, and with the future in mind.