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ST.HELENS FOREST PARK REPORT FOR THE MERSEY FOREST AND ST.HELENS COUNCIL MAY 2009 DRAFT 3 PRODUCED BY BLUE SAIL IN ASSOCIATION WITH KKP AND RURAL INNOVATION BLUE SAIL ST.HELENS FOREST PARK – DRAFT 3 MAY 2009 CONTENTS 1 A VISION FOR THE FOREST PARK .................................................3 2 SUMMARY OF KEY RECOMMENDATIONS .....................................5 3 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................9 4 THE FOREST PARK CONCEPT......................................................19 5 OPPORTUNITIES ASSESSED ........................................................27 6 A STARTING POINT: ESSENTIAL MINIMUM FACILITIES AND MANAGEMENT MODEL..................................................................42 7 SITE PROPOSALS ..........................................................................52 8 ‘DREAM’ AND PUBLIC ART ...........................................................68 9 CONNECTIVITY ...............................................................................70 10 MAKING IT HAPPEN .......................................................................75 11 MARKETING AND BRANDING .......................................................77 APPENDIX ..............................................................................................82 2 BLUE SAIL ST.HELENS FOREST PARK – DRAFT 3 MAY 2009 1 A VISION FOR THE FOREST PARK Exclusive extract from the Altrincham Express 26 October 2021 From our Chief Travel and Leisure Correspondent Half term! Whatever to do with a young family full of energy - but quick to brand most of my ideas as ‘seriously uncool’? Get them to the great outdoors, that’s what, and to a place where they can choose for themselves something to take their fancy. So last Thursday saw three jaded children aged 9 to 14 heading off with me along the motorway in search of St.Helens Forest Park. In about 30 minutes we saw the signs for the Forest Park and then the ‘Dream’ sculpture overlooking the M62. Slipping off at Junction 7 we knew we were almost there. To be frank I wasn’t sure St Helens was my sort of place. In my teenage years I associated it with factory chimneys and muddy rugby league games. But I soon had to revise my impressions. It’s all very different today. Our first view was of delightful woodland, just beginning to take on Autumn colours. The sat-nav took our new Toyota 3x3 Hydrocar to a spacious car park, while telling us details of the programme of activities on offer. We were greeted at reception by an ‘Activities Coordinator’, an enthusiastic young guy who explained our options for the day. It’s possible and probably advisable to book activities ahead online because some of the activities are very popular. But you can also just turn up to ‘pay and play’ – which is what we did. My elder daughter opted for a horse-riding lesson. She’s done some riding before but needs to build up her confidence She was taken by minibus to an Equestrian Centre nearby and really enjoyed her lesson which included an introduction to jumping with a small group of ‘improvers’. This was not cheap but I guess a whole lot less expensive than buying and keeping our own horse. My son was keen to try out mountain boarding which is very popular on the site. He was kitted out with helmet and safety gear before going off to the instruction area. By the end of the two hour session he was definitely getting the hang of it and had tackled the fairly gentle beginners’ course. He is very keen to go back and have a go on 3 BLUE SAIL ST.HELENS FOREST PARK – DRAFT 3 MAY 2009 the more challenging downhill runs next time. Later, in the afternoon, he scaled the mobile climbing wall, fully roped up of course. I was rather tempted by the fishing that’s on offer at a lake at the nearby golf course but my younger daughter and I decided to hire mountain bikes for the day. That was a good move because the Forest Park stretches over several square miles. Two wheels are a great way to get around and if you are adventurous you can have fun on the bicycle skills area. In fact it’s mostly pretty easy cycling and we saw a Senior Citizens cycle group in session. We cycled up to the Dream sculpture and saw a number of other sculptures nearby. We stopped for a while at the adventure play area built up and through the trees – there even one of the sculptures is a giant climbing frame! Happily the Park is entirely traffic free with the exception of the electric carriages that move quietly about and are very popular with the elderly and disabled. Most parts of the Park are fully accessible. We must have cycled several miles in all, including in an area called Colliers Moss where we saw some lovely bird-life and an area of Chinese trees that were planted to mark the 2012 Olympics. We also enjoyed a new feature – a treetop walkway. We met up for refreshments later at the Centre café which serves a very varied and reasonable selection of fresh food. We then had a quick look in the shop which offers tack and outdoor clothing, and at the woodlands crafts area. What an enjoyable day! We all agreed that next time we would make a weekend of it. We could stay in style in one of the smart new hotels that have sprung up in St Helens but I think we will enter into the outdoor spirit and stay in one of the eco-pods near the Forest Park site. And the cost of our day? You can walk in the woods for free but there are charges for parking, cycle hire and for the pay and play activities and instruction. There’s the option of a good value family ticket for 50 euros to cover a range of activities. Lunch and drinks set us back another 30 euros but it was all terrific value in my book. Definitely recommended. 4 BLUE SAIL ST.HELENS FOREST PARK – DRAFT 3 MAY 2009 2 SUMMARY OF KEY RECOMMENDATIONS INTRODUCTION This study relates to several large areas of young woodland, much on remediated former coalfield sites with some former farmland. They are mostly in St.Helens but there are smaller areas in Warrington and Halton Boroughs. South St.Helens Forest Park is part of the Mersey Forest - a regional landscape regeneration initiative that aims to increase overall tree cover while promoting the creation of other habitats. The Mersey Forest aims to be an important economic driver and a setting for active and informal recreation. St.Helens Forest Park areas are appreciated but not greatly used by local people, nor do they attract many visitors. Our brief was to examine opportunities for new and improved infrastructure to support active uses, to identify visitor demand and numbers, to explore linked business opportunities, and advise on marketing and branding. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS The best prospect for creating an attraction that will draw visitors and locals to use the Forest Park is to develop an offer of “soft adventure” – a range of safe but demanding activities aimed mostly at beginners and dabblers, at young family groups, other young people and organised school and youth groups. There is also potential for organised adult team-building if facilities are provided to an acceptable standard. Activities should use the existing terrain and topography and preserve the forest character. The nature of the sites and scale of commercial opportunity means development should start modestly and proceed by stages as viability is demonstrated. There must be specific attractors. It is essential that investment and management resource is concentrated initially on one site to create a critical mass of interest. The best base for this first stage development is Sutton Manor. The suggested private sector- led initial attractors are Mountain Boarding A low ropes/assault course 5 BLUE SAIL ST.HELENS FOREST PARK – DRAFT 3 MAY 2009 Potential investors and operators should be invited to put forward proposals which may include additional or alternative development. Some flexibility needs to be given particularly in the current difficult investment climate. Public sector-led investment at an early stage to develop footfall could include Adventure play area A programme of activities aimed at families At the next stage they could include a designated cycle circuit with downhill sections and cycle skill area The Forest Park will require visitor facilities and reception as there are none (beyond some parking) at present. The minimum requirements are A reception area to provide information and take bookings and payments Office space and staff facilities An equipment store Refreshment area Toilets Parking Highly desirable elements are A meeting/ training room – a facility for school groups, land-based diploma students, team-building groups etc A shelter with picnic tables, very useful for schools and other groups Shop for equipment, books, confectionery, etc The most cost-effective way forward is to combine the operations of the reception facility with the Smithy Manor pub by agreement with the owners and tenant. The pub could provide the refreshments and parking. Indicative costs for site connection network, initial attractors and visitor centre linked to Smithy Manor is £733,000. Ideally, at a later stage, a Forest Park visitor centre would be purpose-built, possibly incorporating refurbished parts of the existing pub building. Of the other sites Colliers Moss South should be regarded as having the most potential for activities including riding, cycle track riding, and water activities. At a later stage of development a secondary visitor reception and ranger base may be justified. Businesses that operate in the Forest Park area should be encouraged to promote their facilities as part of the Forest Park offer. They include a cluster of equestrian businesses and the Mersey Valley Golf and Country Club (MVGCC). There is potential to offer team-building activities to corporate bodies and other 6 BLUE SAIL ST.HELENS FOREST PARK – DRAFT 3 MAY 2009 adult groups. The necessary high standard facilities may be offered in conjunction with MGVCC. CONNECTIVITY At present the Forest Park presents as a series of scarcely connected open spaces.

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