Population Before 1811 the nearby Parish of
Newborough was a tract called Borough Fen Common. Once Newborough became a parish some of the population was returned to Borough Fen explaining the rise in population between 1801 and 1811 shown in the population graph below. Population increased substantially between 1921 and 1931 a key era in the further industrialisation of England. This population rise coincides with the creation of
The London Brick Company in Peterborough who by 1935 were producing 60% of the local industry output employing workers in the surrounding areas. Today the largest age group in Borough Fen is the 45–59 group holding 34.9% of the population in 2011. This coincides with the fact that the majority of households do not have children suggesting that the main bulk of the local population are nearing retirement with no offspring or offspring who have left home. This is comparable to the statistics in the surrounding area of Peterborough.
Industry and employment Local industry and the work force of Borough Fen has changed over time. In 1881 the majority of employed residents in Borough Fen (87.5%) were employed in the agricultural sector. This was normal for rural areas of England in the late 19th century, in comparison Peterborough's largest employment sector was also agriculture. Due to the industrialisation of agriculture, today fewer Borough Fen residents are employed in the agricultural sector. At the 2011 census the number only stood at 16.2% of all employed residents. This shift can be explained by the rise of the retail and mechanical sectors, which now hold 21.2% of local employment, the highest of any sector.
Energy Farm Plan In March 2013 a plan was put forward for a collection of
wind and
solar farms in Newborough Farm (part of Borough Fen), along with nearby America Farm and Morris Fen. They were expected to cost around £200 million covering 900 acres of Peterborough farmland, the council claimed they would bring in £100 million over 25 years. However, in 2014 due to a change in government
energy tariffs and a lack of support for the plan led to the project being scrapped.
Historic sites Borough Fen has two notable historic features. The older of the two features is the
duck decoy located on the west side of the parish, supposedly one of the oldest in England. The decoy was in operation intermittently between 1776 and 1959, catching primarily
mallard, and can be seen via tours from the local farm. There is also
World War II pillbox fortification, built in 1940 as a component of the
British anti-invasion preparations. ==References==