Scrubland set to be reborn after Newlands wins fresh funding
More than 1,200 acres of wasteland are to be considered for new "community woodlands" after the North West Development Agency pledged £36m towards the Forestry Commission's Newlands programme.
The second phase of Newlands extends the programme, which began in 2003, across the Mersey Belt and for the first time into Cumbria, Cheshire and Lancashire.
Nine new areas are being considered for the next round of environmental regeneration:
- Brockholes Quarry near Preston
- Whitehaven Cluster in West Cumbria
- Rowley Tip near Burnley, Lancashire
- Bromborough Tip in Wirral
- Hartshead Power Station in Greater Manchester
- Moston Brook and Tips in Manchester
- Huncoat Colliery near Accrington
- Rhodes Farm in Salford
- Radcliffe Ees Tip in Bury
Newlands is currently regenerating sites across Greater Manchester, Wirral and St Helens, tackling previously developed land, such as landfill sites. Launched in 2003 with £23m of funding from the NWDA, Newlands has so far reclaimed more than 400 acres of brownfield land and created or improved 30km of pathways.
The NWDA funding includes maintenance for 20 years, and the Forestry Commission enters into management contracts for all projects to maintain the sites for 99 years.
Newlands is delivered at a local level through local delivery partners: Red Rose Forest, The Mersey Forest, Pennine Edge Forest, Groundwork Northwest, Land Restoration Trust and Forest Commission.
