09 January 2015
Seven historic parks will benefit from the new investment from
the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Big Lottery Fund.
Funding aims to help parks generate income and involve
volunteers and comes six months after HLF's State of UK Public
Parks report highlighted a worrying decline in parks across the
UK.
The two Green Flag Award parks who will recieve the investment
are; Cannon Hall Park and Gardens in Barnsley and Poole Park in
Dorset.
HLF chief executive Carole Souter said: "Since our report was
published it's become clearer that parks are facing an uncertain
future.
"Our investment will help to regenerate these historic parks and
bring to life several exciting plans."
The seven parks include two with joint HLF-Big Lottery grants:
Houghton Hall Park in Bedfordshire, which receives almost £2.2m and
Highfields Park, Nottingham, awarded over £3,2m.
Parks earmarked for funding include Stanmer Park, Brighton, £4m;
Cannon Hall Park and Gardens, Barnsley, £2.8m; The Canons, Mitcham,
South London, £4; and Poole Park, Dorset, £3m.
"This investment will help bring communities together. Around 34
million people make visits to our parks. With improved facilities,
many more will be drawn to our outdoor spaces," said minister for
tourism, Helen Grant.