GREEN SPACE AND
THE PARK
Connecting with nature and the great outdoors is vital for our health, wellbeing, and quality of life. Lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic has served to prove what a benefit it is to have access to green space from our doorsteps.
The design for Monarch Park features large areas of carefully planned, green and accessible open space, including within the residential areas of the scheme. This would include the creation of numerous opportunities for ‘incidental spaces’ to allow landscaping to establish and mature in its own way – allowing nature to do what it does best.
A unique feature of the scheme is its 30 hectare Park, incorporating a range of existing habitats, vegetation and open space as well as enhanced woodlands, grassland, meadows, ponds and wetland features.
Monarch Park would also deliver a range of formal outdoor recreational spaces, including:
• a large children’s adventure play area adjacent to the woodland
• several smaller play parks
• a multi-use games area (MUGA) for netball, 5-a-side football, basketball and more.
The Park
The proposed parkland comprises over half of the entire Monarch Park site. As an area of high ecological value, it would continue to provide protected habitats for flora and wildlife as well as offering natural recreation opportunities for all to enjoy through a network of existing and new walking and cycling routes.
The Park would incorporate the majority of the existing habitats and vegetation, and provide enhanced woodlands, grassland, meadows, ponds and wetland features. A biodiversity net gain is anticipated, meeting the requirements set out by Rutland County Council for providing compensatory and mitigatory measures for unavoidable environmental losses.
We are keen to ensure that our approach to developing the Park is informed by experience and expertise. Specialist advice is being provided by the project arboriculturist and ecologist regarding the relationship between the development and the areas of retained woodland. This will ensure the woodland is protected and preserved into the future and that the scheme does not interfere with its role in the ecosystem, for example, the function of the woodland edge as a commuting and foraging route for local wildlife, including bats.
The initial aims for the Park are being developed with the support of landscape consultants, looking at landscape and habitat strategy, and a visitor concept. The vision for visitors is to bring people closer to wildlife and provide opportunities for fun and engaging environmental education. This would include innovative and accessible visitor facilities to enable families to explore, interact and play with nature, as well as offering opportunities for quiet relaxation.
From the ‘local centre’, a network of existing and new accessible paths would orientate visitors around the Park and allow them to get close up to nature. Destinations could include imaginative wildlife/play discovery trails; marginal habitat allowing ‘free-style’ exploration through areas of woodland, grassland and wetland; and various viewing points for vistas across the Park and its habitats.
For more details on these initial concepts, please click here.
Being a community focus initiative, opportunities would also be explored for volunteers and the local community to support and be actively involved in the Park.
Allison Homes is proposing that the running of the Park would be overseen by a Community Wildlife Trust (or equivalent entity), with input from specialist organisations and with the help of local volunteers.
The ‘Country Park’ refers to the creation of a new 30-hectare area of publicly accessible area of open green space. This parkland will protect and preserve the majority of the existing habitats and vegetation, and will create or enhance woodlands, grasslands, meadows, ponds, and wetland features, improving habitats and biodiversity. For example, we intend to convert existing arable farmland areas into a nature park with new grazing meadows and community woodlands.
The Park will also create new formal and informal public footpaths so that local people can better explore the area, as well as creating areas for sport, play and recreation. While our plans remain unchanged, after further consultation with stakeholders, the Park will not be formally designated as a ‘Country Park’ if our plans are approved.
