NORTHERN GATEWAY PROJECT – UPDATE (23 December 2010)

In 2007, one of the projects funded from FOBW’s Awards for All grant was for a landscape architect to develop a design study and detailed plans for an improved entrance to the site from Doncaster Road.

These plans were then used as the basis to apply for Lottery Funding so that they could become a reality. Earlier this year, FOBW - with considerable support and input from Bristol City Council – were successful in being awarded funding for the project. This “Northern Gateway” project has been funded through the Community Spaces programme which is being managed by Groundwork UK as an Award Partner to the Big Lottery Fund. Community Spaces is part of the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces initiative.

Not only does the Project include the new entrance way – complete with a new avenue of trees – it will also include a third wildflower meadow and new seating. A new Interpretation Board has been included, to match the 3 already erected in The Woods in 2009. The design of the Interpretation Board can be downloaded here:

Interpretation Board (PDF)

Work commenced in early September and the majority of the groundwork was completed by mid December. New trees were planted in early December as part of a Community Event, organised by TreeBristol (www.treebristol.com). On the day, which was very cold and snowy, children from Badock’s Wood School came to lend a hand. Next Spring, when the weather is a bit less inclement, a new wildflower meadow will be sown. Again, it is expected that the children from Badock’s Wood School will be there to lend a hand.

New mosaics will be included in both the entrance pathway and within the new circle of trees. These mosaics have been designed by Barbara Disney (www.movingonarts.info/artists/disney.htm), a local artist, with very helpful input from the children from Badock’s Wood School. The finished mosaics should be installed early next Spring.

Our current plans are for the new entrance to be officially declared “Open” during a community event on Saturday 23 April 2011. This is the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. By coincidence, it also happens to be St George’s Day. Full details will be announced nearer the time.

In approximate chronological order, the pictures below show progress so far:

Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Not quite Simon & Garfunkel but a bridge all the same - over a gulley in Badock's Wood, near to the boundary with Westbury Wildlife Park.

The new bridge was funded from our local Neighbourhood Partnership's "Wellbeing Fund" and the expenditure was sanctioned at last June's NP Meeting at Westbury Village Hall.

There was an urgent need to build this bridge as the existing culvert, under a woodland path, had suffered from continual blockages since its construction about 10 years ago. As a consequence of these blockages, the water that was supposed to be channelled through the culvert over-spilled and eroded the path. The steel culvert itself was also being exposed and presented a trip hazard for the unwary.

The path could have been repaired but the erosion problem would have returned as long as the underlying drainage problem remained unchecked. The adoption of a new bridge over an open channel was seen as a permanent and visually pleasing solution to the problem.

To really appreciate the effectiveness of the new bridge, one has to visit the site during heavy rain, as the only source of water flowing under the bridge emanates from the hard surfaces (car park and roof) of the David Lloyd gym on Greystoke Avenue.

This is just one example of where funding from the Neighbourhood Partnership's Wellbeing Fund has been put to good and effective use.

Bristol City Council's Area Green Space Plan

The Area Green Space Plan 'ideas and options consultation' information has been available at http://www.bristol.gov.uk/agsp since 14 June. You may also have seen or heard some of the publicity already. However, please believe what you see on the Council's website and not all of what you may have read in the papers or seen on TV!

As well as the documents for each Neighbourhood Partnership area there is a lot of information in the Frequently Asked Questions section which can be found at http://tinyurl.com/agsp-faq In particular it is worth reading the 'method, process and principles paper' which can be downloaded from the 'background' page within FAQs. All the reports on the stakeholder process are also now available on the 'about Area Green Space Plans' page.

The specific reports for the Henbury & Southmead and Henleaze, Stoke Bishop & Westbury-on-Trym Neighbourhood Partnership areas are:

http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/content/Environment-Planning/Parks-and-open-spaces/information-and-advice/area-green-space-plans/02-henbury-and-southmead/area-green-space-plan-ideas-and-options-for-henbury-and-southmead.en

http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/content/Environment-Planning/Parks-and-open-spaces/information-and-advice/area-green-space-plans/03-henleaze-stoke-bishop-and-westbury-on-trym/area-green-space-plan-ideas-and-options-for-henleaze-stoke-bishop-and-westbury-on-trym.en

Badock's Wood is mentioned in both, as the NP boundary cuts through the middle of Badock's Wood:

http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/cms-service/stream/asset/?asset_id=34391114

The Trymside Open Space (off Doncaster Road) is also mentioned under the Henbury & Southmead NP area (some of which could be sold off for housing):

http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/cms-service/stream/asset/?asset_id=34381165

Depending on where you live, you may very well have strong views on the proposals presented in the AGSP and you can fill in the online questionnaire accordingly or visit one of the city-wide drop-in sessions between now and 29 October 2010.

The feedback gathered by BCC from their initial consultations with interested parties (such as Parks Groups) last year as part of its Stakeholder Participation Process is summarised at

http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/cms-service/stream/asset/?asset_id=34418130

for Henleaze, Stoke Bishop and Westbury-on-Trym

Here is a poster showing things to look out for in Spring in the Woods. It was made by members of FOBW.

Interpretation Boards

Last year, FOBW was successful in obtaining Lottery funding of £10,000 through a Breathing Places Award. The majority of this funding was for the design, fabrication and installation of 3 interpretation boards. The design work has recently been completed and the boards are currently being fabricated. It is planned to install the boards in the near future and they will be located at the Lakewood Road entrance, the tumulus and the wildflower meadow.

Download Interpretation Board Design PDF

Planting Places Award 2009

In January this year, FOBW submitted a nomination to Sustainability South West for a “Planting Places Award 2009”. The criteria for nominations covered any public greenspace in the South West of England and included everything from parks, community gardens and allotments to green routes (ie cycle paths), playing fields and even cemeteries and rooftops. Also, the greenspaces could be any size but they had to be free and accessible to the public and for public use and enjoyment.

Each nominated greenspace was entered for the ‘overall’ award and there were also specific awards to highlight best practice in the following individual categories: Community Engagement, Flood Risk Management, Biodiversity, Climate Change and Promoting Health & Well-being.

The overall winner was Penhill Orchard, Swindon and FOBW achieved a “Highly Commended” citation in the “Promoting Health & Well-being” section. The winner of the latter was St Neot Doorstep Green, Cornwall.

Full details of the Awards can be seen on the following link: http://www.sustainabilitysouthwest.org.uk/projects/planting_places/planting_places_awards/

The Certificate that FOBW received at an awards ceremony at the Architecture Centre in Bristol on 20 March 2009 is reproduced below:

Forest Festival!

Over 550 people took part in a hugely successful Forest Festival event held at Badock's Wood Local Nature Reserve on Sunday 18th May. There was a fantastic range of activities available for all ages to enjoy including guided walks, woodcraft and art workshops, tree dressing, storytelling, river dipping, owl encounters, barbeque, demonstrations, information and much more! A key highlight of the event was an outdoor play performance by pupils from Badock's Wood Primary School.

The majority of participants at the Festival were from the local area and written feedback indicated that there is strong demand to run a similar event again in the future.  The festival was organised by the Forest of Avon, Bristol Parks (Nature in the City Project) and Friends of Badocks Wood in partnership with the Bristol and West Forest Education Initiative group who delivered the workshops and provided the funding.