Conservation Plan for Wollaton Hall and Park

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Conservation Plan and Appendices 1-6

Appendices 7-10

Wollaton Hall and Park
Outline Strategic Plan
Summary

Wollaton Park
Wollaton Park is a highly valued resource for the people of Nottingham, as an open space, 'green lung', and the richest wildlife site in the city. The Park is visited by very large numbers of people but is unevenly used; it provides a mixed experience with some areas well maintained and others needing improvement. A number of inappropriate buildings and planting conceal its importance and make it difficult to understand.

Transport, Car Parking for Staff and Visitors, Telephones
Pedestrian and vehicle routes around the Hall and Stable Block must be carefully planned and managed. All car parking close to the Hall should be removed with the exception of parking for people with disabilities. In addition, dedicated car parking for people with disabilities should be provided at the top of the existing car park by the Stables.

The initial section of access road to this car park should be relocated close to the boundary wall. The car park should be resurfaced and landscaped, with cycle parking and a new turning circle for buses. The telephone box (which is listed) should be moved from the top of the car park and more accessible phones should be provided for visitors in the Hall and Stable Block.

The existing car park by Wollaton Road should be removed. Negotiations with Mr Man's Restaurant over daytime use of the car parking should be initiated. Overflow parking for special events will still be required and the present arrangements should be maintained.

Adventure Playground
A new adventure playground should be built in the area currently occupied by the Parks Depot and the recent buildings of the Industrial Museum, with picnic areas and benches nearby. It should provide themed activities linked to the rest of the site.

Lake and Boathouse
The banks of the lake nearest to the house should be restored, and visitors should be discouraged from using this part of the lake to feed fowl. Concrete banks should be disguised where possible, and planting removed where it is overgrown. The nature and extent of original planting should be researched.
The boathouse should be restored as a feature of the landscape.

Fencing
An appropriate pattern for all fencing and knee rails should be established and used when replacing and or repairing existing fences and rails. The alignment of all fences should be checked against estate plans and unnecessary fences should be removed. A standard pattern for gates should be developed and applied with an emphasis on ease of access.

Garden Furniture and Litter Bins
The existing benches in the terrace and formal gardens should be retained. An appropriate pattern for benches and litterbins should be established and applied for all new purchases. Existing benches in the Park should be resited to less prominent and more accessible places. All existing litterbins should be replaced to achieve consistency.

Signage and Interpretation
Current signage is confusing, inconsistent and detrimental to the appearance of many of the buildings. Standard formats for safety and other signage should be established to create welcoming, integrated and consistent signage to services throughout the site and should include tactile, large format and visual elements.

Deer Reserves
The deer require sanctuaries from visitors. Visitors need to be educated about the deer and safe contact with them. The existing Deer reserve fences should be repaired and signs should be provided which advise people to keep out, and the reasons for this. Quiet areas for the deer should be extended, possibly through re-negotiation with the golf club to reclaim wooded areas (see below). Again, interpretation should be provided.

Planting
Recent tree planting, sometimes in areas and with species that do not relate to the historic integrity of the Park, should be reviewed and, where necessary, removed or replaced.

Efforts should be concentrated on the management of the surviving historically important planting and on conservation replanting as required. This should maintain the biodiversity of Wollaton by ensuring that any trees replaced are grown from seed gathered on the estate. The avenues are particularly impressive and interpretation should be provided to increase public awareness of them and their significance.

Golf Course
Improvements to the appearance of the Golf Course and public access to areas of the Park should be undertaken in accordance with the English Heritage policy guidelines on golf courses. Any future arrangement should permit more sensitive planting and landscaping; allow the City to reclaim certain areas of the course in order to increase deer sanctuaries; improve disabled access, and allow restricted visitor access to Arbour Hill.

Pathways
The current pathways in the Park provide good access to many parts that would otherwise be inaccessible to many people and the existing network should be maintained and improved where required. Footpath surfaces should be researched, in consultation with access consultants, and standards should be established and applied in the Park and Formal Gardens whenever replacement/repair is undertaken.

Neighbouring Properties
Good relations exist between the Park and its neighbours, many of who have access directly into the Park. The estate managers should negotiate with neighbours with regard to replacement of fences to all adjoining properties to a standard design to improve security, their appearance from the Park and the safety of the deer.

Events
Wollaton Park is currently used for a number of large and small-scale events, which attract very large numbers of people to the Park.

Events increase the use of the Park and provide an important income stream. At present, people visiting the Park for these events do not use other facilities. They should be encouraged to explore the Hall and Park more fully.

In this way, Wollaton will take its rightful place as a major regional attraction and educational resource.
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