In June 2009, the Friends of SWAP in consultation with Groundwork Greater Nottingham agreed to look at joining together Ashton Park and Snape Wood Nature Reserve with a view to creating a new integrated recreational area, with formal entrances, improved landscaping and new facilities. The aim is to treat the new area as a Park with an enclosed woodland (the Nature Reserve).

The present

At the moment both sites are not really considered as one open space by the community, rather they are treated as two separate areas, with the Nature Reserve in particular being very under-used by the community despite its availability as a resource for informal recreation, practical conservation and educational opportunities.

Similarly, Ashton Park is not able to offer facilities for the whole community, only to young children (the play area) or to older children and young adults (the basketball/football court).

The aim is to make both sites accessible to everyone in the community.

Funding the planning process

Groundwork Greater Nottingham have kindly agreed to carry out the work required to get the project to a point where it can be implemented.

This involves carrying out formal landscaping surveys of both sites (completed November 2009), the creation of designs for the new-look integrated recreation area (which, it should be emphasised, will not cause any structural changes to the existing flora and fauna of the Nature Reserve – indeed, it may even be extended) and formal consultation with the community and key stakeholders before putting any plans into practice.

The cost of this development work, £3000, has been met by the Friends of SWAP (£700) and the majority (£2,300) from the City Councillors’ Ward Members’ Budget (our thanks to Cllrs Hartshorne, Klein and Heppel).

What happens at the end of the consultation period ?

Once the final plans have been approved, Groundwork Greater Nottingham will assist the Friends group in acquiring substantial funding for the work required. As the Nature Reserve is an ancient woodland it is hoped that some funding may be available from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

How long will the process take ?

At this early stage it is not possible to give a time estimate. The development stages are well underway but the hard work of actually putting the plans into practice could take years, rather than months.

The Nature Reserve in particular is receiving a lot of attention at the present time to improve the facilities after many years of neglect, with the removal of fly tipping, essential pathway and bench maintenance and pruning being carried out since March 2009. Further work planned in the near future are the laying of the hedge alongside the pathway between the Reserve and the Park, and the commencement of a coppicing regime to remove some of the sycamore trees in the Reserve, and the construction of a more formalised central pathway. Long term, an ecological survey of the site is required which will enable a management plan of the site to be drawn up.

How can I help to shape the future of the new open space ?

Come to our meetings, which are always open to the public !