Hampstead Heath’s Kenwood Ladies’ pond and Highgate Men’s pond will maintain their trans-inclusive access policies after local councillors approved privacy-enhancing upgrades for women. The decision was made on Tuesday by the City of London Corporation’s Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Committee.
The approval follows a consultation that received nearly 40,000 responses, with the majority supporting the current access arrangements. The Kenwood Ladies’ pond remains open to both biological and trans women, while the Highgate Men’s pond welcomes biological and trans men. These policies have been in place since 2017 and align with interpretations of the 2010 Equality Act, as confirmed by the Corporation.
A £1.08 million improvement package has been announced to upgrade all three ponds, including the mixed pond, with a focus on providing more private changing facilities. Katie Stewart, Executive Director of the Environment, stated that the upgrades will allow individuals seeking private changing spaces to do so. However, funding and timelines for the improvements have yet to be finalised.
The decision comes amid ongoing legal scrutiny from groups such as Sex Matters. Maya Forstater, chief executive of Sex Matters, described the current policy as “simply unlawful.” A related court hearing concerning trans access to the ponds is expected to take place in the second half of the year.
Following a Supreme Court ruling that interpreted “sex” in the Equality Act as biological sex, the City of London Corporation has committed to reviewing the pond access arrangements again in 2025 to ensure compliance with evolving legal standards.
The final decision on these matters will be made by the Policy and Resources Committee during their meeting on June 4, 2026. Meanwhile, the Corporation has signalled ongoing support for the inclusive access arrangements, coupled with added privacy measures.
Originally published by UKNIP.
