Hampstead Heath Councillors Uphold Current Pond Access Rules Despite Campaign Pressure

Based on reporting by BBC UK:

City of London Corporation councillors approved recommendations in principle to keep the access arrangements for Hampstead Heath's bathing ponds as they currently stand, thereby rejecting demands from campaigners to implement strictly single-sex access subsequent to the Supreme Court's ruling last year. The existing guidelines for the Ladies' Pond permit use by both biological and trans women, and the reverse applies to the Men's Pond. The Corporation stated that these arrangements have been in place since at least 2017 and were consistent with the prior interpretation of the Equality Act 2010.

Following the 2024 Supreme Court judgment, which determined that 'sex' within equalities law refers to biological sex rather than certified sex, committee members agreed to review the policy. A consultation conducted last year, which garnered over 38,000 responses, indicated substantial backing for preserving the current arrangements, with only 13% indicating a desire for the Men's and Ladies' ponds to become exclusively single-sex spaces. However, some individuals have expressed reservations regarding the consultation outcomes, including the campaign group Sex Matters, which characterized the respondent numbers as 'extraordinary'.

The charity Sex Matters is also pursuing a legal action against the Corporation's policy, with a court hearing anticipated in the latter half of the year. Furthermore, officers advised a series of enhancements for the three bathing ponds, which includes upgrades to changing, showering, and toilet facilities, estimated to cost up to £1m. The executive director of environment, Katie Stewart, mentioned during the item at Tuesday's committee meeting that the planned works at the Ladies' Pond would ensure individuals wishing to change privately have the necessary facilities. Final funding and scheduling for these works are expected to be presented to members in July. Maya Forstater, the chief executive of Sex Matters, had previously asserted that the Corporation's proposed policy was 'simply unlawful'. A final determination on the matter is scheduled for 4 June.