New nature park planned to link local green spaces
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A NEW nature park is being planned between East Ardsley and Thorpe with the hope of encouraging visitors to enjoy the green space.
Leeds City Council’s Parks and Countryside Department is running the project, which is already underway, focussing on linking existing green spaces such as woodland, wetland and natural greenland to improve both public access and biodiversity.
The new park will run either side of the railway line from Lingwell Nook on the Wakefield border to Thorpe Wood and will form the first phase of a much larger scheme that will enhance the green corridor that links south Leeds with Rothwell Country Park and the Lower Aire Valley.
Local areas to be included are Thorpe Wood, East Ardsley Fall and Dolphin Marsh.
Work includes woodland management, planting of a new orchard, meadow improvements and hedgerow planting as well as improvements to the wetland habitat at Dolphin Marsh.
Improvements will also be made to access to encourage visitors to explore the full length of the corridor and enjoy the natural beauty.
The park already includes ancient semi-woodland at Thorpe Wood, which has been there since 1600 and young plantations in East Ardsley that were initially created during the reclamation of the former East Ardsley Colliery and steel works in the 1970s.
It is hoped the proposed park will maintain open spaces, views, green horizons, recreation activities such as walking, horse riding, cycling and picnics, for which benches will be installed, as well as pond life and wildflowers.
Consultations with the local community have been arranged where it is hoped people will call in to see the designs and ask any questions.
The first drop-in session will be on Wednesday, September 19 at Thorpe Community Centre from 6.30pm-8pm.
There will be another opportunity to see the plans on Tuesday, October 2 from 4.30pm-6.30pm at East Ardsley Community Centre.
Officers from Parks and Countryside will be at the meetings to answer any questions and explain their plans.
Coun Jack Dunn said: “This is a terrific idea and will be a great asset to the local area.
“The recently formed Thorpe in Bloom, who have already shown what can be achieved in the village, are at the heart of this major scheme.
“Bids have gone to various sources of funding and it is my intention to commit ward-based funds too.
“We need major schemes such as is proposed to protect the green lungs of our local areas from further development.
“I am hoping that one way of governance of the nature park we can have a friends group from the local communities.
“I also hope that it will be possible to set up an In Bloom group in Ardsley village, which could then link up with Thorpe, with floral displays through Ardsley Falls.
“I hope residents will come along to the consultation sessions, see the plans and express their views.”
There will also be future opportunities for people to become actively involved in the new project.
For more information visit www.leeds.gov.uk
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Tuesday 18 June 2013
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