In February 2025, we shared an update on improvements Bournville Community Angling Club have been making to Rowheath pool, which they lease from Bournville Village Trust (BVT).

Improvements have included creating 24 eco-friendly floating islands with hydroponic planting to naturally improve the water quality and provide a better habitat for wildlife.

The Club has also been doing further works to restore the natural balance of the pool and make sure it’s protected for the future.

This included installing temporary ropes above the pool to protect fish from predators like cormorants, whose numbers have exploded at the pool to an unsustainable effect. Now the number of visiting cormorants has reduced, the ropes have been removed.

Elaine Li, Community Development and Involvement Manager at Bournville Village Trust, said: “We have worked closely with Bournville Community Angling Club over the last year on a range of improvements to Rowheath Pool.

“The ropes were agreed as a temporary measure and during the time they were up, the Club saw a reduction in cormorants at the pool. Moving forward, this will be the club’s preferred anti-predation method and it’s great they’re also committed to continuing to further improve the pool’s environment.”

The ropes were proposed by the Environment Agency as the least intrusive and most wildlife-friendly solution, recommended by the RSPCB and Natural England.

New signage has also been installed around Rowheath pool with details of how to fish responsibly.

Bournville Community Angling Club has been running for well over 20 years and currently has 35 members, with five remaining spaces left this year. If you’re interested in joining, please speak to committee members who meet around the pool most mornings at 10:30am.

The Club lease the lake from Bournville Village Trust, one of the Midlands’ longest-serving independent charitable trusts. As part of the lease, the Club manage the lake.

Fishing at the lake is available to non-club members every day, apart from Wednesday mornings and afternoons. To fish, you must have a rod fishing license from the Environmental Agency and pay £5 per day to Bournville Community Angling Club (collected pool side).

Money the club charge to use the lake is ploughed back into managing the lake and surrounding environment.

If you have any questions, please speak with a member of Bournville Community Angling Club or our Community team by calling 0300 333 6540 or email enquiries@bvt.org.uk