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Cofton celebrates as lake bid is accepted

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lake
Neighbours Diane Carr and Keith Newbery, of Cofton Lake Conservation Group, on one of the beauty spot’s many angling jetties

A year-long campaign by Cofton Hackett residents to buy the beautiful, secluded lake at the heart of their village has paid off.

As The Village went to press, the Cofton Lake Conservation Group said their offer of £180,000 had been accepted by West Midlands Passenger Travel Sports and Social Society, which has owned the lake for the past 54 years.

Residents had feared the lake and its surroundings, while in the Green Belt, could have ended up in the hands of developers, with the uncertainty that would bring.

Now they are forming a company with 100 shares, each costing £1,500, for residents to buy and already have 89 firm pledges from people.

The remaining £50,000 of the total £200,000 needed to buy the lake and pay the costs involved will come from a Halesowen-based angling club which will also stock, maintain and insure the lake.

Shareholders in the new lake company will each receive a key for access and will also have fishing rights.

The total area is believed to be 17 acres, with 11 acres of  water. The top 4m of water is owned by British Waterways, who use it for topping up the local canal system.

Diane Carr, secretary of the Cofton Lake Conservation Group, told The Village they were delighted all the hard work had paid off and this area would now be preserved for future generations. “The whole purpose of the committee was to ensure that this haven for wildlife remained for all to enjoy,” she added.

Although there are still many aspects of this purchase to be settled, the group is now confident of finding  buyers for the final shares in the proposed company, which are available to anyone who wants to help to conserve the lake and who may also want to enjoy its peaceful setting themselves.

Anyone who wants to find out more can call Diane on 0121 445 1220 or the group’s chairman, Keith Newbery, on 0121 445 3125.