Barclays Business has supported Oxborough Farms Limited to develop two new fishing lakes at Oxborough, Norfolk.
Oxborough Farms Limited, based at Church Farm, Oxborough, south west of Swaffham, is a 910 acre arable farming business that produces a range of crops including; milling wheat, malting barley, sugar beet and oil seed rape. The farm has been managed by Ian Monson for the last 30 years. His son also works on the farm and they employ one farm-worker.
Ian Monson’s vision is to create two recreational fishing lakes as part of a farm diversification project on a two hectare site which is next to the River Gadder, at Church Farm in Oxborough village. The lakes will be situated on land owned by Oxborough Farms Limited close to the nearby Oxborough Hall and adjacent to a picturesque location of an established wooded wetland area.
The two recreational lakes will be stocked with a range of course fish including Roach and Perch at a density of 400 - 500lbs / acre of water for the ordinary lake. The competition lake will be stocked at a density of around 700 - 800 lbs / acre of water.
The larger of the two lakes will provide 15 fishing pegs for catch and release fishing with the second lake constructed for match fishing and providing 16 pegs. Landscaping and parking will also be created for the site with disabled access.
Work on the site commenced in April 2011 and is expected to be completed from late summer of 2011, allowing time for vegetation growth and fish stocks to mature. The project will also create two part-time jobs.
It is envisaged that the project will provide wider economic benefits to local attractions such as Oxborough Hall, Iceni Village at Cockley Cley, Goodestone Water Gardens and the nearby town of Swaffham which includes a long established fishing tackle shop.
Oxborough Farms Limited has also received a grant from EEDA for the project.
Ian Monsoon, Managing Director said: "This is an exciting project which has taken seven years of planning. I am delighted we are now at the construction stage and look forward to completion later this year. I am certain it will enhance and encourage local tourism and enrich the diversity of the natural environment. Without the financial help we have received from Barclays and the Rural Development Programme for England, this project would not have been going ahead."
Gerald Day, Barclays Agricultural Manager based in Wymondham, Norfolk said: "Diversification projects can often be a vital part of modern day farming. As a Barclays Agricultural Manager, I understand their importance and it has been a pleasure to help my customer with funding for this project which has turned a dream into a reality."
