THE advisory group set up to consider the future of Warrington’s Walton Estate wants the borough council to invest £250,000-a-year over the next 10 years to develop the estate.
They believes the estate should be viewed as three interconnecting leisure facilities – the golf centre, Walton Hall and Gardens and a biodiversity and learning centre.
A report, outlining the findings of the advisory group, is to be presented to the council’s executive board on Monday (April 18).
The advisory group was set up last summer following the collapse of the ill-fated plan to lease Walton Hall to a hotel group.
It consists of representatives of a variety of organisations including the borough council, Walton Parish Council, the Friends of Walton Estate, the Save Walton Gardens group, Walton Lea Project, Bridgewater Canal Trust and tourism body Visit Chester and Cheshire.
A vision for the estate was drawn up, envisaging three interconnecting facilities.
The golf centre would be the commercial area, with scope for a golf academy, licensed bar and meals, accommodation and retail/leisure development of associated buildings such as the golf club building, its annexe and the old riding centre.
Walton Hall and Gardens would remain as the people’s park, with an improve café and better used hall. This would aim to increase revenue without impinging on its tranquil setting.
The biodiversity and learning centre would encompass the children’s zoo, expanded to include a land-based training academy offering people of all ages the chance to learn more about the environment.
New interconnecting paths between the golf centre and Walton Gardens would encourage visitors to circulate and take advantage of the wider range of facilities, attracting new visitors and increasing the revenue potential of the entire estate.
The executive board will be recommended to support the advisory group’s vision, include provision of £250,000 a year in the council’s capital investment programme, authorise the preparation of a full business case and consider proposals for a future management structure and marketing of the estate as part of the ongoing organisational redesign of the council.
£250,000-a-year to save Walton Hall
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
4 Comments
This looks is a good proposal that I know has taken a great deal of work and builds on the strengths and opportunities of not only the estate but also it’s supporters and organisations. The devil is in the detail but it is clearly calling for an investment for the estate’s future that if planned and managed well will meet the needs of the people of Warrington.
What an excellent project and not a moment too soon. This money could easily be found by the Borough Council and included in its Capital Programme. There are several loans made by WBC to local organisations of many millions. The recovery of these together with the sale of some assets, say, Wilderspool Rugby Ground would cover this very worthwhile scheme. Well done to those who have taken this project so far in such a short space of time. I look forward to hearing that the Members and Officers of WBC share the vision of this Advisory Group and that support will be given on 18th April.
Not only that but I would suspect that being still a ‘peoples park’ rather than a ‘private developers park’ it would also be more eligable for additional funding from other sources/organisations too including open space funding, heritige funding, lottery funding etc etc, etc. if it all goes to plan 🙂
As Geoff says “the devil is in the detail” and who knows the actual detail? Members of the public and the press were not allowed at the WEAG group’s meetings.