Penton Hook
Penton Hook Island
Penton Hook Island closure
Penton Hook Island remains closed to the public. Trees on both islands pose a high risk of injury to people from falling branches, collapsing trees and trip hazards.
Thank you to everyone who attended our public engagement on 20 March 2026. We are extremely grateful for the feedback provided by members of the public during this event and also through the online feedback survey regarding access across the islands and also the memorials situated on both islands.
Next steps
We have started working with a specialist contractor to develop this project further. They will be carrying out an updated tree survey over the next few weeks and evaluate the method that any tree clearance work can be carried out safely. Any tree clearance work will not take place before the end of bird nesting season (March – September).
We are in the process of securing some grant in aid funding to be allocated towards this project. Once the full cost of the project has been assessed, which will be based on the current status of the trees and the chosen method of clearance work, we will provide a further update on how any funding gaps can be resolved.
Once our contractor is able to define their detailed method of tree clearance work, we will use all the valuable feedback provided regarding memorials to minimise any impact. We will update this page with more information on this once it is available.
Important Notice
We would like to remind everyone that access to the Island is currently prohibited due to the significant safety concerns resulting from diseased trees. Please do not attempt to access the island.
Unfortunately, due to scale and complexity of the work required to clear the diseased and dangerous trees from the island, we have had to keep the island closed.
We continue to work to resolve this issue as quickly as we can. However, Ash dieback rots the tree from inside, making the felling of these trees extremely unpredictable. This poses a risk to the chainsaw operator and the surrounding environment and so we must use specialist mechanical equipment, which will have to be brought to site by river.
Keeping the public safe is one of our priorities and we apologise for any inconvenience this closure may be causing. We know the importance of this site to the local community, and we are committed to keeping everyone updated on our progress.
Our aim is to replace the diseased trees with new trees to suit the ecology of the island.
Public safety remains our priority and is paramount in our decisions. Unfortunately, some people have forced the fence open to gain access. We urge people not to do this, as it puts them and others at significant risk of harm.
Our staff at Penton Hook Lock will continue to advise members of the public with general queries about our work to support boating but won’t be able to answer further questions about this tree management work.
Please email enquiries_thm@environment-agency.gov.uk.You can also phone our National Customer Contact Centre on 03708 506 506 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm). Please note, all current updates will be posted on this page as soon as information becomes available.