Consultation on future plans for Southwood Country Park in Farnborough
Proposals include a visitor centre and cafe
Last updated 26th Oct 2021
A public consultation has been launched by Rushmoor Borough Council to find out the public's views on future plans for Farnborough's Southwood Country Park.
There are proposals for the long term development of the park - including draft plans to adapt the former clubhouse building into a visitor centre and café; proposals to improve the natural environment; and an interim management plan for the park.
A children’s natural play area and a dog wash facility are also being proposed, as is a pedestrian crossing at Ively Road, subject to approval by Hampshire County Council.
The consultation runs on the Council’s website until Friday 12 November at www.rushmoor.gov.uk/southwoodcountrypark.
The country park makes up 57 hectares of green open space in Farnborough, connected by a network of formal and informal paths.
The council opened the park in 2019 and it is what is known as Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG).
As Rushmoor sits within five kilometres of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (SPA), which protects ground-nesting birds, housing developers must, by law, provide, or contribute towards, alternative natural green space for their residents to use before the council can grant them planning permission.
They must also pay towards its upkeep.
This means the area is permanently protected as natural green public open space.
To become a SANG, the council had to provide some initial facilities, including a new car park, the network of mown paths and fencing to make sure dogs could exercise off-lead.
It also has to make sure the area continues to develop as a natural habit for plants and wildlife.
The consultation runs on the council’s website until Friday 12 November at www.rushmoor.gov.uk/southwoodcountrypark
There will also be two drop-in sessions where residents can find out more about - at the old golf club car park in Ively Road on Tuesday 2 November from 8am to 5pm, and Saturday 6 November from 9am to 4pm.
Councillor Martin Tennant, Rushmoor Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Major Projects and Property, said: “Southwood Country Park is a fantastic natural, green open space that will serve many families and local people for generations to come, as well as offering a natural environment for plants and wildlife to thrive.
“We have made a great start on the country park, and we have some exciting plans for its future development that we’d like to share with our residents and to hear their views on.
"The consultation runs until 12 November, so we hope people will take time to find out a bit more and to give their feedback to help us shape the future of what will be their country park.”