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Thorpe Meadows, Orton Mere and Woodston ReachFive Year Plan 2013 – 2018

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Our overall vision for Thorpe Meadows, Orton Mere and Woodston Reach is guided by the Trust’s strategic document, 2020:

‘Nene Park will be an even more exciting,

special and welcoming place for visitors

and wildlife in a wonderful

natural environment.’

ContentsIntroduction 2

Landscape 6

Community 10

Recreation 12

Promotion 16

Nene Park Trust 17

Delivery of the Plan 18

IntroductionNene Park was created in 1978 to meet the increased recreational needs of the expanding ‘new town’ of Peterborough. Today, the network of greenspaces stretching from the city centre, west through Ferry Meadows and to the countryside beyond, attracts over one and a half million visits every year.

Nene Park Trust has prepared a new Five Year Plan for Thorpe Meadows, Orton Mere and Woodston Reach to meet the needs and aspirations of its visitors. The Plan has been produced through close collaboration between park staff, visitors, trustees, local residents and the business community, and sets out what the Trust intends to achieve over the next five years.

The main emphasis of this Plan is to enhance the visitor experience, improve the appearance of these areas and increase the wildlife to be seen.

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Nene ParkThorpe Meadows, Orton Mere and Woodston Reach form part of the larger Nene Park, which stretches from the city centre for six miles west along the valley of the River Nene. In 1988, Nene Park Trust was established to provide Nene Park for the benefit of Peterborough’s residents and visitors.

Currently, the Trust spends over £1.8m a year on managing and maintaining Nene Park. This is entirely self funded through income from commercial and Park properties, concessions and investments, and is therefore at no cost to the taxpayer.

Nene Park continues to be shaped by the River Nene and its flood plain. It is maturing into a fascinating landscape, with extensive heritage, archaeology and biodiversity throughout its parkland, woodlands and waterways.

Areas of Nene Park are designated for their heritage value, with several scheduled ancient monuments and archaeological sites in the river corridor. It is also an important place for people; somewhere that everyone should feel safe and welcome to visit to be active, creative, involved, or simply to relax.

In addition to the numerous park and visitor attractions provided by the Trust, Nene Park also contains a wide range of facilities managed by Trust tenants and clubs. These include a watersports centre, two cafés, a miniature railway, model boating, model aeroplane flying, riverside angling, and a rowing course. Nene Valley Railway, an independently run heritage railway, passes through Nene Park with a station at Orton Mere.

Nene Park falls within the wider Nene Valley Nature Improvement Area and a number of projects under the Landscape theme will contribute to improving the biodiversity of this valuable flood meadow habitat.

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Nene Park TrustThe strategic management of the Trust is carried out by the Chief Executive and Senior Management Team, overseen by a Board of Trustees, who represent local, regional and national organisations.

The Trust’s work is carried out by an experienced and dedicated team of staff and professional advisers. Together, they perform a diverse range of functions to ensure that the Trust achieves high standards in landscape, environmental and people management, and in the quality of its park visitor facilities.

The Trust is currently implementing 2020, a `ten year vision and strategic plan. Through this, the Trust has set itself the challenge of continuing to improve the landscape and visitor experience in the Park, and to build on its initial successes through the creation and delivery of new Five Year Plans.

Thorpe Meadows Thorpe Meadows is only a short walk or cycle ride from the city centre. It is home to the Sculpture Park, woodland and riverside walk. The 1000 metre long, purpose built rowing lake dominates the site and the regattas are popular spectacles with rowers and local residents.

Orton Mere and Woodston ReachOrton Mere is an area of grassland, woodland and lakes, which were originally designed as settling pools for the sugar factory. The adjoining area of Woodston Reach is woodland and meadow, with paths to the neighbouring houses. These areas are well used as commuter routes for walkers and cyclists and a Nene Valley Railway station is situated at Orton Mere.

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This Plan contains a diverse range of exciting projects including wild flower areas, tree planting, play opportunities, a dog agility course, additions to our existing education, events and volunteer programmes and building upon the theme of sculptures.

In common with the 2020 strategy, the key projects proposed for the next five years are grouped under our five strategic themes: Landscape, Community, Recreation, Promotion and the Trust.

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LandscapeAt Thorpe Meadows, Orton Mere and Woodston Reach

L1 Introduce greater density of wild flowers for wildlife benefit and public enjoyment, particularly in flood meadows and areas adjacent to paths and Parkways (2013 – 2018)

L2 Manage trees and shrubs by thinning and under planting to improve biodiversity and structure (2013 – 2018)

L3 Improve the quality of site maintenance (2013 – 2018)

L4 Install smarter and more robust styles of bins and encourage recycling (2013 – 2014)

L5 Improve the management of shrubs and trees around the car parks to provide a more attractive welcome area (2015 – 2017)

At Thorpe Meadows

L6 Maintain a variety of grass heights to enable people to picnic and to benefit wildlife (2013 – 2018)

L7 Manage the flood plain meadows for hay and investigate the feasibility of grazing (2013 – 2018)

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Our aim: Nene Park will be managed and protected as a clean, safe, sustainable and attractive natural environment that retains its river valley character and celebrates its heritage, archaeology and biodiversity.

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Landscape continued

L8 Increase the number and range of amphibians by providing suitable habitats through working with Froglife and the local Amphibian and Reptile Group (2013 – 2018)

L9 Provide high flow fish refuges and fish spawning habitats in partnership with the Environment Agency (2014 – 2018)

L10 Ensure that site furniture location and land management recognises the flooding function (2013 – 2018)

L11 Seek funding from the Woodland Grant Scheme (2014)

L12 Plant a new screen at the south western end of the rowing course to provide shelter from the wind (2013 – 2014)

L13 Work with the Rowing Club to improve the shrub planting around the rowing club house (2015)

L14 Monitor the silting of the rowing course in partnership with the Rowing Club (2014)

At Orton Mere and Woodston Reach

L15 Investigate options at Orton Mere to provide reed bed habitat or dredging silt to retain the open water of the lake (2013 – 2018)

L16 Create views of Orton Water by trimming trees along Water Lane (2016)

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Our aim: Nene Park will be a beautiful, accessible and enjoyable place that provides exciting opportunities for healthy relaxation and learning for the community.

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CommunityAt Thorpe Meadows, Orton Mere and Woodston Reach

C1 Encourage continuous feedback from visitors using comment cards and staff engagement (2013 – 2018)

C2 Carry out ongoing satisfaction survey of users and non-users (2013 – 2018)

C3 Develop the Trust volunteer programme to include tasks at Thorpe Meadows, Orton Mere and Woodston Reach (2013 – 2018)

C4 Develop ways to encourage visitors and wildlife groups to report wildlife sightings (2013 – 2018)

C5 Encourage and support use by local schools and groups (2013 – 2018)

C6 Promote the sites with local community organisations (2013 – 2018)

At Thorpe Meadows

C7 Engage the local community and art groups to paint murals on the subway and drainage structures (2014 – 2015)

C8 Work with the Quality Hotel and the Boathouse Public House to encourage use of their facilities by Park visitors (2015)

At Orton Mere and Woodston Reach

C9 Install a pond dipping platform over Osier Lake (2015)

C10 Encourage parents/carers to walk their children from Orton Mere to St Botolph’s Primary School (2014)

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RecreationAt Thorpe Meadows, Orton Mere and Woodston Reach

R1 Promote walking routes and rides by installing signs and producing leaflets and mobile phone apps (2016)

R2 Increase the number and quality of picnic benches, seats and signs (2014)

R3 Encourage cycling and install sculptural cycle stands (2015)

R4 Improve natural play features, building on the Ferry Meadows Play Trail visitor experience (2016 – 2017)

R5 Promote responsible angling by working with Peterborough and District Angling Association and the Environment Agency (2013 – 2018)

R6 Improve the path network, their accessibility and visual appearance (2013 – 2018)

R7 Support water based recreation activities, working in partnership with the Environment Agency (2013 – 2018)

At Thorpe Meadows

R8 Install engaging sculptural seating (2017)

R9 Increase understanding and enjoyment of the sculptures by working with others on interpretation boards and leaflets (2013 – 2018)

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Our aim: Nene Park will be a place that people regularly choose to visit for the beauty of its natural landscape, the quality of its facilities and its exciting range of activities.

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R10 Explore options for a third large sculpture adjacent to Longthorpe Parkway (2016)

R11 Explore opportunities for a new iconic sculpture at the end of the rowing lake, viewable from the Parkway (2017)

R12 Install a dog agility course (2015 – 2017)

R13 Install open sided weather shelters (2015 – 2016)

At Orton Mere and Woodston Reach

R14 Develop a proposal to provide public toilets and catering facilities (2015 – 2017)

R15 Produce a feasibility study for improving the City Council footbridge at Woodston Reach (2015)

R16 Raise awareness of ‘no angling’ on Orton Mere (2013 – 2018)

Recreation continued

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Our aim: Nene Park will be known throughout Peterborough and beyond as a great park and visitor destination, and for providing high quality, innovative and accessible information

PromotionAt Thorpe Meadows, Orton Mere and Woodston Reach

P1 Promote the sites and the events that take place by the Trust and other partners (2013 – 2018)

P2 Introduce a programme of positive initiatives to encourage responsible Park use; addressing issues such as dog fouling, dog control, inconsiderate cycling and feeding bread to wildfowl (2013 – 2018)

P3 Produce leaflets and mobile phone apps to promote walking routes, events and highlight site issues such as flooding (2013 – 2018)

P4 Interpret the heritage, wildlife and local history through a range of media (2013 – 2018)

P5 Promote the routes to Ferry Meadows, encourage more recreational use of Thorpe Meadows and installation of a new fitness trail (2013 – 2018)

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Our aim: Nene Park will be respected for providing an excellent Park, and as an organisation that is involved and engaged in wider agendas throughout Peterborough, and viewed nationally as an exemplar of the park trust model.

Nene Park TrustAt Thorpe Meadows, Orton Mere and Woodston Reach

T1 Seek external funding for projects (2013 – 2018)

T2 Promote Nene Park Trust at each site entrance (2013 – 2018)

T3 Encourage residents and visitors to get involved or learn about the Trust through the production of Parklife, website and social media (2013 – 2018)

T4 Ensure that habitat management is planned in the wider context of the Nene Valley by liaising with Peterborough City Council and the Wildlife Trust (2013 – 2018)

T5 Review roles and boundaries by working with partner organisations such as Peterborough City Council and Environment Agency (2013 – 2018)

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Delivery of the PlanThe delivery of this plan will be monitored on a regular basis by the

Trust’s Board of Trustees and Senior Management Team along with a

range of external and internal performance indicators and targets.

To find out more about Nene Park Trust, and to check on our progress in

delivering the Five Year Plan, please refer to our website or Parklife, our

magazine and events guide. Please feel free to contact the Trust team

via the details on the back cover.

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www.neneparktrust.org.uk

Nene Park Trust Ham Farm House Ham Lane Peterborough PE2 5UU

Telephone: 01733 234193 Email: visitor.services@neneparktrust.org.uk www.neneparktrust.org.uk

Photos by: Chris Porsz, Chris Avanti, Clare Freeman, Hannah Gibson, Chris Park and Ashley WhealPrinted on recycled paper, June 2013 © Nene Park Trust