Trans women could still be allowed access to Hampstead Heath bathing ponds’ women-only spaces following a consultation.
Currently, biological women and transgender women are allowed to use the ladies’ pond, while men and transgender men are admitted to the men’s pond.
The policy has sparked years of tension among swimmers, with campaigners demanding a return to strict sex-based segregation.
A consultation was launched to review the access of trans women following a Supreme Court ruling in April, which found the words ‘woman’ and ‘sex’ in the Equality Act 2010 refer to a biological woman and biological sex.
Despite protests, including one demonstration where campaigners donned fake beards and moustaches to storm the men’s pond, 90 per cent of people surveyed rejected requiring trans swimmers to use separate changing rooms or have separate swimming sessions.
Of six options considered for the Kenwood Ladies, Highgate Men’s and Hampstead mixed ponds, the most popular – with support from 86 per cent of 38,000 respondents – was retaining the existing trans-inclusive access arrangements.
While 66 per cent opposed making all ponds mixed sex.
Critics of the current policy say the ponds’ current system undermines women’s rights to privacy and dignity.
Pictured: A demonstrator dons a fake beard in protest against rules which allow transgender women to use the female only pond
Women’s rights campaigners protested at Hampstead Heath in May as bosses refused to ban trans women from an adjacent ladies’ only pond
After being denied entry to the ponds, the women remonstrated with a police officer standing behind a locked iron gate
And in May around 30 women chanting ‘no goolies in our poolies’ and tried to enter the male-only space in defiance of the rules while claiming to self-identify as male.
The row escalated further with campaign group Sex Matters threatening legal action.
But trans swimmers and their allies argue they have used the ponds for decades without issue, calling the push for exclusion ‘cruel and judgemental’.
They claimed the rules could backfire, forcing trans men with facial hair and masculine features into the women’s pond and leading to humiliating confrontations.
The City of London Corporation said it was reviewing its access rules to ensure they are fair, lawful and respectful.
The findings will be presented to corporation committees which will consider them ‘alongside legal duties, equality impact assessments, safeguarding responsibilities and operational considerations’ before making a final decision on future access.
In the meantime, the current admission rules will remain in place.
Some 84 per cent of respondents to the consultation had swum at the bathing ponds and 74 per cent lived in London, the City of London Corporation said.
A bemused male swimmer watches on as one of the protesters breaks into the male-only pond
Woman rights campaigners swim in The men’s pond at Hampstead Heath
City of London Corporation policy chairman Chris Hayward said: ‘The volume and tone of responses we received demonstrate very clearly just how much the ponds are valued as calm, safe, welcoming community spaces for all to enjoy.
‘While we’ve been clear that the consultation was not a referendum, carefully reviewing the findings from it will form an important part of our wider decision-making process, which we will communicate clearly to the public in the months ahead.
‘It’s important that we take the time to ensure future access arrangements are fair, lawful, evidence-based and, crucially, respectful to those who use the swimming ponds.’
Hampstead Heath forms part of the 11,000 acres of open space across London and the south east owned and managed by the City Corporation.