Friday, June 01, 2012
Leicester Mercury
A bid for £3 million of heritage lottery cash is being made by the county council to enhance Charnwood Forest.
If successful, the money will be used to support a range of programmes to conserve the landscape and improve access in the area.
Charnwood Forest covers an area of 110 square miles and includes Bradgate Park and Beacon Hill.
County council officers have already met with about 50 organisations representing a range of interests, from orienteering to industrial history, to discuss what sort of projects they would like to see established if funding is secured.
Lesley Pendleton, Leicestershire county councillor for environment and transport, is chairman of the Charnwood Forest Regional Park Steering Group, which is leading the bid. She said: "Although well known to many local residents, Charnwood Forest contains many hidden gems which deserve wider recognition.
"Partners have discussed ideas for projects that might go into the funding bid and we now have an exciting list of ideas to develop."
Ideas include creating more bridleways and improved access for walkers, horse-riders, and cyclists, and the creation of events such as a stone fair to show visitors what is manufactured using local materials.
Dick Howerd, chairman of the Friends of Charnwood Forest, wlecomed the bid for lottery funding.
"If successful I think it could make a significant difference," he said. "There are so many beautiful areas covered within it. Bradgate Park alone has about 1.4 million visitors a year and there are times when people struggle to park there.
"We need to create a fine balance between making sure people can enjoy it as much as possible, but ensuring it's conserved and looked after for future generations.
"If we're awarded funding, we need to make sure we make the most out of it, although £3 million is a significant amount – it's not a drop in the ocean."
The bid will be developed over the next seven months in time for submission early next year.
The forest takes in parts of the districts of Charnwood, North West Leicestershire and Hinckley and Bosworth, and includes Bradgate Park, Beacon Hill Country Park and the Great Central Railway.
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