Country park gets £50k cash boost

PARK LIFE A £50,000 grant will help the ongoing development of Dewsbury Country Park.

The Kirklees Council cash will help to pay for a car park, access improvements from Huddersfield Road and new signage on the site, which borders Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury Moor and Heckmondwike.

During a meeting of Kirklees Council Cabinet this week, council leader David Sheard said the park had changed its name from Lower Spen Valley Country Park to Dewsbury Country Park in order to attract more grants.

A former landfill site, it is being transformed into the largest new woodland in the north of England, with 74,000 trees over 72 hectares.

Work on the park off Park Road in Ravensthorpe started in August 2012 thanks to a £494,000 grant from the Forestry Commission. This included planting of the woodland, creating the footpaths, wetland, seating and signs

Coun Sheard said: “I think it’s the biggest park in Kirklees and there is a lot of potential there.”

More than 1km of footpaths have been constructed, including wheelchair accessible routes. This has been done by contractors.

Kirklees Council has already put £30,000 towards creating footpaths around the site.