An appeal for help has gone out to residents in a Kirkcaldy housing development after an overly keen angler attempted to stock the estate’s drainage pond with fish.
Chapel Level residents have received letters from land management firm Greenbelt Group to inform them of the bizarre situation at one of the development’s sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) ponds.
SUDS ponds effectively reduce the risk of flooding within housing estates by managing surface water run-off, with rainwater conveyed via a piped network to the pond.
However, Greenbelt workers were shocked to discover in recent weeks that one resident has apparently attempted to stock one of the Chapel Level SUDS ponds with fish, creating an area in which to cast for fish and cutting back reeds at the side of the water.
Customer services chief John Beveridge wrote to locals to tell them about the somewhat “unusual problem.”
He said, “These ponds are engineered for specific reasons to reduce the incidents of flooding and pollution.
“Stocking with fish could lead to blockages in the system, defeating the purpose for which they were built.”Area of bank removedHe added, “Not only that but we found that part of the banking had been removed to create an area to cast from.
“Fortunately we were on site when a mechanical digger, hired by this fisherman, tried to access the feature to carry out illegal earthworks.
“This could have resulted in all residents paying for expensive restoration works.”
Mr Beveridge urged anyone who has information about who was responsible to contact Greenbelt.
In light of the latest news one resident, who did not wish to be named, said he would be particularly angry if any damage left him out of pocket.
He said, “I don’t know why anyone would do such a crazy thing because it’s obviously there for a reason.
“If this person wants to go fishing, he can go elsewhere to do it.”
To contact Greenbelt call 0800 028 1749 or visit their website.