Newark and Sherwood District Council improves access to local green spaces

Newark and Sherwood is home to many fantastic open spaces and parks for residents to enjoy. The District Council looks after many of these spaces and is pleased to announce improvements will be made to existing pathways at Sherwood Heath and Sconce and Devon Park, both Green Flag Award winning parks.

The works will take place in addition to almost £350,000 being invested across a number of District Council owned play park areas to replace aging equipment and include inclusive play equipment for all ability users where possible to do so.

Councillor Paul Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Cleaner, Safer, Greener at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “These open spaces and parks are fantastic areas in Newark for residents to socialise, exercise, or get out for some fresh air and relaxation, and I’m pleased to see these ongoing commitments to ensuring the parks are a space many can enjoy.

“I’d like to remind residents that the sites are not closed during the next two weeks, but to be aware of the temporary pathway closures to remain safe as you enjoy them.”

The footpath works are being conducted at Sconce and Devon Park to improve park users’ experience as they enjoy the space, creating paved routes through areas which experience heavy footfall. The development of the pathways will also improve the accessibility of the park by linking up existing paved routes, allowing wheelchair and mobility scooters to access areas of the park which until now have been inaccessible.

Residents who use the Sconce and Devon Park for outdoor exercise, particularly those who are part of the Newark parkrun, will also benefit from these works as the improvements will reduce the chance of the popular parkrun route becoming waterlogged, an issue that frequently arises following heavy rainfall and can result in events being cancelled or postponed.

The works at Sherwood Heath are being done to improve the access to the site all year round by repairing the camber and drainage of the pathway following necessary tree thinning works which had to be conducted over the winter.

The work at Sherwood Heath began on Friday 2 June and the work at Sconce and Devon began on Monday 12 June, with both expected to last two weeks. Both Sconce and Devon Park and Sherwood Heath will remain open for the public to enjoy over the two weeks the work is expected to be taking place.  In order to make these improvements safely, there will be temporary closures along existing pathways.

The works will be a benefit for park users but please keep pets and little ones away from the affected areas. There will be heavy plant machinery on site for the duration of the works, and any closures are done so for resident’s safety.

To find out more about the district’s parks and green spaces visit: https://www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/parksandgardens/.