Save your park
What do you do if you find out that your local park is under threat from the proposed building of a car park, supermarket or new road? Find out here.
Saving Open Space
Our 40 page guide shows you how to run a successful community campaign to save open space.Case studies:
For years, community groups have been campaigning to save valued parks and green space from unnecessary development. Find out about how some of them went about it and what happened. Click on a link to find out more...Berryhill Fields
Furncade Parade Regeneration
Novers Park Regeneration Project
Removing traffic from parks
Berryhill Fields
Partners:
Site name:
Location:
Description:
Contact:
Site name:
Location:
Description:
Contact:
Groundwork Stoke-on-Trent
Berryhill Fields
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
In response to the threat of the development of an open cast mine, local people mobilised and successfully campaigned against the project. In order to permanently safeguard the site they decided to transform it into a recognised community park, securing funding through Groundwork’s Changing Places Programme. The Friends began to work with landscape architects and planners, and they have since had an active role in the improvement of the site and the interpretation of the site’s mining history. Now members act as local stewards, organising guided walks and a successful national community conference for Friends groups, sharing good practice.
Alan Smith T: 01782 411000
Berryhill Fields
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
In response to the threat of the development of an open cast mine, local people mobilised and successfully campaigned against the project. In order to permanently safeguard the site they decided to transform it into a recognised community park, securing funding through Groundwork’s Changing Places Programme. The Friends began to work with landscape architects and planners, and they have since had an active role in the improvement of the site and the interpretation of the site’s mining history. Now members act as local stewards, organising guided walks and a successful national community conference for Friends groups, sharing good practice.
Alan Smith T: 01782 411000
Furncade Parade Regeneration
Partners:
Site name:
Location:
Description:
Contact:
Site name:
Location:
Description:
Contact:
BTCV , Groundwork
Furncade Parade
Tipton, West Midlands
The wooded area of the site became overgrown with scrub and was a haven for unsocial and criminal activity. The local Council wanted to clear it all, but a few local residents wanted to keep it because of its habitat value, particularly for resident foxes. BTCV and approximately 15 local residents worked together over several weekends to remove the perimeter fence, cut down areas of scrub, thin out the trees and open up parts of the woodland to improve visibility. The aim was to create a ‘meadow woodland’, with standard trees that have a high, light canopy with grass and herbs beneath. In autumn 1995, three days of woodland activities such as charcoal burning and woodland crafts were held with Groundwork, and over 400 people attended. The crime and vandalism has completely disappeared from the site, which has been transformed into a local asset instead of a liability.
BTCV Tipton
Furncade Parade
Tipton, West Midlands
The wooded area of the site became overgrown with scrub and was a haven for unsocial and criminal activity. The local Council wanted to clear it all, but a few local residents wanted to keep it because of its habitat value, particularly for resident foxes. BTCV and approximately 15 local residents worked together over several weekends to remove the perimeter fence, cut down areas of scrub, thin out the trees and open up parts of the woodland to improve visibility. The aim was to create a ‘meadow woodland’, with standard trees that have a high, light canopy with grass and herbs beneath. In autumn 1995, three days of woodland activities such as charcoal burning and woodland crafts were held with Groundwork, and over 400 people attended. The crime and vandalism has completely disappeared from the site, which has been transformed into a local asset instead of a liability.
BTCV Tipton
Novers Park Regeneration Project
Partners:
Site name:
Location:
Description:
Contact:
Site name:
Location:
Description:
Contact:
Novers Park Community Group
Novers Park
Bristol, Avon
Novers Park is situated amongst high-density housing in the Knowle West area of Bristol, which has long suffered with the effects of deprivation. Residents came together to form a highly active and effective group who redeveloped an area of vacant land into a valuable community park. The activities of the group, including a comprehensive events programme, have ensured a prosperous future for the park.
Gary Hopkins T: 07977 512159
Novers Park
Bristol, Avon
Novers Park is situated amongst high-density housing in the Knowle West area of Bristol, which has long suffered with the effects of deprivation. Residents came together to form a highly active and effective group who redeveloped an area of vacant land into a valuable community park. The activities of the group, including a comprehensive events programme, have ensured a prosperous future for the park.
Gary Hopkins T: 07977 512159
Removing traffic from parks
Partners:
Site name:
Location:
Description:
Contact:
Site name:
Location:
Description:
Contact:
Dulwich Park Friends, London Borough of Southwark
Dulwich Park
Southwark, South London
Dulwich Park was home to a busy road routing traffic through the park, creating significant problems of indiscriminate parking and creating dangers to park users. The Friends formed a Traffic Sub-Committee proposing the building of a car park on the edge of the park which would stop traffic from entering the site with the internal roads subsequently being closed. Volunteers from Dulwich Park Friends interviewed over 3,000 people, 97% of whom said they would like to see traffic removed from the park. Organising promotional events such as a Traffic Free Day and fundriaisng activities, they raised the necessary £20,000 and as a result of an excellent working relationship with the council, the car park was opened in December 2003, successfully reclaiming the park for people.
Robert Johnson (Dulwich Park Friends)
Dulwich Park
Southwark, South London
Dulwich Park was home to a busy road routing traffic through the park, creating significant problems of indiscriminate parking and creating dangers to park users. The Friends formed a Traffic Sub-Committee proposing the building of a car park on the edge of the park which would stop traffic from entering the site with the internal roads subsequently being closed. Volunteers from Dulwich Park Friends interviewed over 3,000 people, 97% of whom said they would like to see traffic removed from the park. Organising promotional events such as a Traffic Free Day and fundriaisng activities, they raised the necessary £20,000 and as a result of an excellent working relationship with the council, the car park was opened in December 2003, successfully reclaiming the park for people.
Robert Johnson (Dulwich Park Friends)