THE two ‘basins’, or ponds, which give Wellington Basins its name and the streams running through the 66 acres of land could become town council-owned.

Mancraft Ltd, which owns the derelict Tonedale Mill former Fox family woollen factory site, has offered to gift the waterways to the council.

The company said it only asked that the council covers the legal fees of transferring ownership of the streams which run from Westford through land the council calls a ‘green corridor’ to Tonedale.

Councillors will consider the issue at a meeting on Wednesday evening (January 21), when they are being asked to decide whether to recommend the full council to agree to take ownership.

Council chief executive Dave Farrow said: “Bringing the waterways into the town council’s ownership would be a further step in the direction of the council being responsible for the whole of the ‘green corridor’ and is consistent with its strategy of bringing well-used public spaces under its control.

“However, with ownership comes responsibilities and costs, both in terms of ongoing maintenance and liabilities arising from a likely lack of investment and ongoing maintenance in previous years.

“This is particularly relevant in relation to the need for the waterways to be properly maintained and possibly developed to mitigate the risk of flooding at, for example, Hilly Head, and in Rockwell Green, and on the mill site itself where plans for flood mitigation are required before any development can take place.

“That said, the alternative argument is that it enables the council to take control of mitigating those risks rather than relying on a third party.

“There are also opportunities to further enhance biodiversity in the area through appropriate management of the waterways.”

The council effectively took ownership with a 150-year lease in 2023 of the Wellington Basins land, which stretches from Fox’s Field to Rockwell Green and Westford.