Bathscape has been awarded £25,000 towards its Woodlands of Bathscape project. The money will be used to protect and restore the designated biodiverse greenspace of Free Fields in Combe Down, to ensure it continues to meet the recreational needs of the growing local community.
The funding was made available by Bath & North East Somerset Council. It comes from the Bath Neighbourhood Portion of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and was allocated to the Bathscape by the Bath City Forum, which advises on how best to spend CIL receipts for the benefit of local people.
The Bathscape Landscape Partnership is a National Lottery Heritage Fund supported project aimed at reconnecting people with the natural landscape surrounding Bath. It comprises 25 separate projects designed to ensure Bath and its surrounding setting is better recognised, managed and experienced.
The aim is to ensure a greater number and wider range of people will feel connected to their local landscape and inspired to explore the outstanding built and natural environments, improving health and wellbeing.
The Free Fields project will see conservation work carried out across the site to retain and enhance biodiversity, while enabling recreational events to meet the demands of the growing population in Combe Down.
Councillor Colin Blackburn, Chair of Bath City Forum, said: “The Free Fields site provides considerable health and wellbeing benefits to residents who wish to participate in the various leisure activities. The support for this project will help alleviate the threat to environment and provide essential maintenance for our green infrastructure.”
Paul Pearce, from Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Parks & Green Spaces Team, said: “We are delighted to receive this injection of funding support. The project will be coordinated with the wider Bathscape project team. Work is expected to get underway this September following consultation with the local community.”
Councillor Bob Goodman, cabinet member for Development and Neighbourhoods, said: “Free Fields is a council owned woodland in Combe Down, adjacent to National Trust open access land and a short walk from Foxhill and University of Bath development sites. This greenspace is also used by residents from across the city for the increasingly popular weekly Park Run event. The growing population at the nearby Mulberry Park development will see an increased level of need for green spaces to aid healthy recreational options for our residents.”
