Great Lines Heritage Park Latest
10th June 2009
Details of the Great Lines Heritage Park of the future were presented by the new Great Lines Heritage Park project officer Nicola Moy at a meeting of the Chatham World Heritage Partnership yesterday, held in No 3 Slip, Chatham Historic Dockyard.
Nicola - who started in the role just two days previously - detailed how the £2.1m investment from central government will be spent over the next two years. Particular highlights include two new entrances to the park, from Gillingham and Brompton, and a pedestrian bridge crossing to provide a direct route between Fort Amherst and the Naval War Memorial. A summary of all the works to be delivered can be found here.
Nicola can be reached via 01634 334319 or chathamworldheritage@medway.gov.uk.
26th January 2009
The first phase of the Great Lines Heritage Park - at the Lower Lines - will open to the public in September 2009. 5.5 hectares of open land are being revitalised as a public park thanks to investment from MidKent College, linked to their new campus. The park will also feature a significant restored section of the Chatham Lines - the defensive ditch, which joined Fort Amherst in protecting Chatham Dockyard from landward attack.
The Friends of the Admiral's Gardens are a voluntary group committed to supporting the development of the park to bring maximum benefit to the local community. Linda Miller, Chair of the Friends group expains: "Our group has been meeting regularly and welcoming an increasing number of local residents and others interested in the park. We try to spread the word through our leaflets and having a presence at local events, which helps to bring in new members. Soon we’ll also have our own website; we’ve been able to push ahead with this thanks to a grant from the Chatham World Heritage Partnership Fund to support our activities.
"As well as growing numbers of community members, we have the benefit of sustained interest from: the MidKent College project team; Medway Council; local councillors; community police and community safety teams, all who frequently join our meetings.
"Since they took over developing the park, friends from MidKent College have been bringing us up to date at each meeting with progress on the new buildings, as well as the park. They arranged a consultation on an enhanced plan for the park (presented by their appointed landscape architects) for the group and other interested members of the public. Later, those plans had to be revised; but members viewing the revised plan at a recent meeting were broadly happy to see something more like the original simpler plan, which had incorporated Friends’ visions and suggestions for the park.
"The College has been making appointments to the trust which will control the park once it is completed. They advertised for a trustee from the local community, and we were very pleased to hear that Adam Price - our secretary and a key member - was selected as the community trustee; so Friends will have a powerful voice on the trust".
To find out more about the work of the Friends, e-mail the group's secretary, Adam Price, or download the Friends' leaflet here.
The plan for the park is below. Click to enlarge.
12th December 2008
Plans for how the £2m investment from central government’s "Parklands" funds will be spent were on display at a celebratory meeting of the Chatham World Heritage Partnership at Fort Amherst on Wednesday. Four projects will be delivered, focussing on the restored and unrestored areas of Fort Amherst, the link between the Fort and the Naval War Memorial, and the Field of Fire.
Cllr Rodney Chambers welcomed the 145 guests with a brief history of Fort Amherst and the Chatham Lines since they were declared surplus to military requirement, and the tremendous efforts of volunteers who have fought for the site's restoration and preservation.
Lindsey Morgan, Chair of the Chatham World Heritage Partnership, reflected on the many successes of 2008, culminating in the award of the Parklands money. She thanked everyone who had contributed their time and ideas throughout the summer, which had been a major strength of application.
Joanne Cable, project manager for the World Heritage Site application then introduced a Partnership vote to decide a name for the park, from all of those which had been suggested during the summer. Cllr Chambers closed the meeting with the announcement that the park will from now on be known as the Great Lines Heritage Park.
Chatham World Heritage Partners greet the annoucement made by Cllr Rodney Chambers.
As part of their work in planning for the park's future, the project master planners, HTA Landscape Design were also tasked with shaping a long term vision for the Great Lines Heritage Park, to guide future applications for funds. These plans can be viewed below:
The Character Areas
The Objectives
The Inner Lines
The Field of Fire
Fort Amherst
The Chatham Lines
Artist's impressions of the Great Lines Heritage Park have also been produced, and can be viewed here
Sincere thanks are due to the evening's sponsors ASDA, and Events with Elegance. ASDA generously supported the event in celebration of the opening of their refurbished store in Chatham.
4th December 2008
We're pleased to announce that Cllr Rodney Chambers, Leader of Medway Council and Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, will provide the opening words at the Chatham World Heritage Partnership meeting next week. A revised programme can be downloaded here.
With 155 people set to attend, registration has now closed. Plans for the Great Lines City Park will be available on line in the days following the event for anyone unable to come along on the night.
26th November 2008
GREAT NEWS FOR THE GREAT LINES!
Margaret Beckett, Minister for the Thames Gateway, has today announced the approval of our £2m application to the government's "Parklands" fund. This is excellent news, and thanks are due to everyone who took part in shaping priorities and plans for the park throughout the summer. Lindsey Morgan, Chair of the Chatham World Heritage Partnership, said: "This success is founded on the hard work and enthusiasm of everyone who took part in the master planning process. The Chatham World Heritage Partnership is an excellent model for community involvement, and I'm delighted to invite everyone to celebrate this success at the next Partnership meeting in December".
This meeting will take place at Fort Amherst from 6pm on 10th December, and plans for the park will be on display. As part of their master planning work, our landscape design team, HTA, have produced reports on the archaeology, ecology, and historic landscape of the Great Lines, as well as ecological and condition surveys. These will also be available for viewing.
In response to specific comments from consultation, there will also be an opportunity to help choose the final name for the park. Refreshments will be provided in the candlelit warmth of the tunnels, and there is free parking on site.
An agenda for the evening can be downloaded here. If you would like to attend, please send your name, address / e-mail address and details of any special dietary or access requirements to chathamworldheritage@medway.gov.uk (or call 01634 331176) by 3rd December. All are welcome, but space may be limited, so please register early. This meeting is kindly sponsored by ASDA, with lighting provided by Events with Elegance.
Artist's Impression of the Great Lines City Park. Click to enlarge.
Martin Hall, Director for Greening the Gateway Kent and Medway, said the new finance is a ‘great result’ for Medway and North Kent. He added: “The Thames Gateway Parklands is about promoting high quality, accessible and wildlife rich areas close to the communities of North Kent. The Great Lines City Park is an excellent example of what Parklands could be. We have put a lot of hard work into securing these funds and it is great to have such a positive result”.
Cllr Rodney Chambers, Leader of Medway Council and Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, said: “Medway Council and the Department for Communities and Local Government's decision to invest in the future of the Great Lines reflects the outstanding significance of Chatham's World Heritage and the major role it will play in Medway's regeneration. The Great Lines City Park will enable everyone to take pride in Chatham's past and to have great confidence in Medway's future".
24th November 2008
There will be an open meeting at the Sunlight Centre in Gillingham next week for residents to view fresh plans for the first phase of the Great Lines City Park at the Lower Lines. The park is being designed and delivered by Mid Kent College as part of the planning agreement relating to their new campus. The meeting will take place on Monday 1st December, from 6pm and will feature a presentation from landscape architects RPS. All are welcome.
This meeting relates to the Lower Lines section of the Great Lines City Park which is being delivered by Mid Kent College (circled on the photo below) and not to the entirety of the Great Lines City Park.
