Published: Thursday, 15th May, 2008 17:00
Funding is set to transform South Hill Park
By Richard Crowe
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Makeover: The lake at South Hill Park is among the areas due for a spruce up.
Pic by: Bracknell Forest Borough Council
A MULTI-MILLION pound scheme to spruce up an arts centre’s park has come a step closer thanks to a lottery award.
South Hill Park, Bracknell, looks set to benefit from a widespread revamp including:
- Restoring the terrace garden to include disabled access
- De-silting the southern lake while conserving
- Enhancing woodland areas.
The borough council’s parks and countryside service has been awarded £209,000 to prepare a design and develop funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Big Lottery Fund’s (BLF) national Parks For People programme.
Residents and park users will help finalise proposals to improve the 26-acre park before making a detailed bid for further lottery funding.
The project’s total cost is expected to be £4.4m and would include three years of works on site and then 10 years of ongoing maintenance.
Michelle Davies, speaking on behalf of the HLF and BLF, said: “Lottery money has already played a vital role in the renaissance of our historic parks, but there is so much more to be done.
“South Hill Park plays an important role in the community and this additional investment will transform it into a place people can be really proud of.”
Work could include:
- New paths and access points
- A more welcoming park entrance from the main car park
- Improvements to visitor information around the park
- Wildlife improvements
- Better facilities for young people
- Improving landscaped features
- Restoring the amphitheatre.
The scheme also involves Bracknell Town Council and Thames Water and a a project manager will oversee the work and help set up a friends group for the park.
South Hill Park Arts Centre Trust chairman Bob Angell said: “We are proud of our position in South Hill Park in the heart of Bracknell Forest life, and are really pleased with this grant.
“We are looking forward to working with the council to further enhance South Hill Park for future generations.”
Council leisure leader Cllr Iain McCracken said: “All credit to our parks and countryside team for securing this funding for the borough. I am looking forward to working with residents and seeing South Hill Park develop and improve.”
This is Bracknell’s second major heritage grant success following on from the 10-year, £2m restoration of Lily Hill Park, Bullbrook, the second phase of which was opened last year.
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