Bradbourne Lakes shut on 28 September. The south lakes are dug out first, trees fall in late October and silt may smell this winter. Reopening summer 2027.

Updated 29 September 2026: the park closed as planned on Monday 28 September. This story now carries the order of work, the footpath and parking changes, and what neighbours should expect this winter, from the council’s project questions and answers.

Bradbourne Lakes closed to the public on Monday 28 September so that the biggest transformation of the park in nearly 300 years can begin. Both the north and south sides of the park are shut, and Sevenoaks District Council expects to reopen it by summer 2027. (Sevenoaks District Council, Bradbourne Lakes restoration moves to next stage)

The council says no part of the site can stay open because the work involves machinery, vehicle movements and draining the lakes. (Sevenoaks District Council, Bradbourne Lakes questions and answers)

What happens first, and what neighbours will notice

The council’s questions and answers set out the order of work and give the clearest warning yet about the side effects. (Sevenoaks District Council, Bradbourne Lakes questions and answers)

  • South side first. The southern lakes are desilted and their banks repaired first, followed by the northern side.
  • Trees come down at the end of October. Some trees were removed early in 2026. The rest of those named in the planning application, marked in pink on site, are due to be felled at the end of October 2026. The council says the aim is to open up the space, cut the leaf debris that silts the lakes, give room for bank repairs and replace self-seeded and non-native trees with native ones.
  • Silt, and the smell, this winter. Silt removal is planned for winter 2026 to 2027. Each lake is dammed, then dug out with long-reach machinery. An estimated 5,000 cubic metres of silt will be pumped into permeable bags on open ground inside the park to dry, shrinking by up to 60%, before most of it goes back into the lakes as planting beds. The council expects odours nearby, strongest in the early weeks from autumn into winter 2026.
  • Noise until early 2027. Construction noise is expected between autumn 2026 and early 2027, with generators possibly running to control water levels while the lakes are drained.
  • Fish and memorial benches. Fish are being managed by a specialist team under Environment Agency requirements. Memorial plaques and benches may be taken away for safe storage and cleaning, and returned when the work is done.

The timetable can still move. The council says some landscaping may slip to late autumn 2027 depending on the weather and the planting season, and that the meadows will not flower properly until 2028.

Footpath and parking

Public footpath SU11, which runs through the park, is closed while the work goes on, with signed diversions sending walkers to the A25 and other routes. Kent County Council has granted a permit to close the parking bays on Betenson Avenue, the road the council’s own visitor page names as the place to park for the lakes. (Sevenoaks District Council, Bradbourne Lakes questions and answers; Bradbourne Lakes, Sevenoaks)

What the works will do

The council says the restoration will improve accessibility, biodiversity and water quality while protecting the park’s heritage. The work includes:

  • restoring and repairing all five lakes
  • repairing and upgrading sluices, bridges, lake banks and other historic structures
  • removing accumulated silt and reusing it for new planting beds and habitat areas
  • new wildflower planting and improved pathways
  • a natural play area and an accessible toilet with baby changing facilities
  • new habitats for bats and birds
  • improving water flow and quality to support wildlife in the River Darent

(Sevenoaks District Council, article 609)

Timeline of the Bradbourne Lakes restoration: the Re-bourne festival launched the project on 11 July 2026, the park closes to the public on 28 September 2026, the works run through autumn and winter restoring all five lakes and their historic structures, and the park is expected to reopen by summer 2027 with a natural play area, an accessible toilet and new wildlife habitats
Graphic by Sevenoaks Online
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Who is paying for it

The project is funded by a £1.6 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Sevenoaks District Council has added more than £500,000 secured from housing developer contributions. (Sevenoaks District Council, article 609)

Alongside the building work, Kent Wildlife Trust, West Kent Mind, the South East Rivers Trust and Historic England will run a programme of volunteering, community engagement, education and wellbeing activities.

The restoration follows years of campaigning by the Bradbourne Residents’ Association. Public consultation by landscape specialists Land Use Consultants found residents’ priorities were restoring lake edges, removing silt, repairing paths and structures, managing overgrown vegetation and improving wildlife habitats.

Cllr Irene Roy, the council’s Cabinet Member for Cleaner and Greener, called the lakes “a treasured green space at the heart of our community”. She thanked the residents’ association for “dedication, passion and contribution to shaping these plans”, and asked for patience during “the most significant improvements to Bradbourne Lakes since they were created almost 300 years ago”. (Sevenoaks District Council, article 609)

A project already under way on paper

The restoration has planning permission under application 25/03292/FUL. The final details are still coming through the system: a submission covering the scaled drawings and materials for the park’s model boat launching deck, required by condition 11 of that permission, appeared on the council’s planning portal this week. (Sevenoaks District Council planning portal, condition 11 details for 25/03292/FUL)

The launching deck matters to one of the park’s oldest traditions: model boating on the lakes, which the Crowborough Model Boat Club showcased at July’s Re-bourne festival.

The project was launched publicly at that free festival on 11 July, where the Mayor of Sevenoaks Town Council started a community time capsule. We covered the festival preview and how the day went at the time.

What it means for you

  • The whole park is shut from Monday 28 September until an expected reopening in summer 2027, so plan on it being closed through autumn, winter and spring.
  • Expect felling at the end of October and, if you live nearby, some smell and noise over the winter while the silt is dug out and dried.
  • Do not plan to park on Betenson Avenue for a walk nearby: the bays there are closed for the works.
  • While it is closed, our guide to parks and playgrounds in and around Sevenoaks lists the alternatives, including Knole Park on the other side of town.
  • The project activities carry on off site. West Kent Mind runs monthly walk and talk groups linked to the project, and the South East Rivers Trust’s last free fishing session for 11 to 17 year olds is at Monk Lakes on 29 October, with free transport from Sevenoaks town centre; booking details are on the council’s activities and events page.
  • Updates come through the council’s Bradbourne Lakes newsletter, and questions go to bradbournelakes@sevenoaks.gov.uk. The full planning file is searchable on the council’s planning portal.

Sources

Image: One of the five ornamental lakes at Bradbourne Lakes Park, Sevenoaks. Photo by Nigel Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Geograph.