Bassetlaw Rural Conference

Sherwood Forest Regional Park

Dr Patrick Candler, Chair Regional Park Board

25 March 2015

Sherwood Forest Regional ParkHistoric Timeline

1217 - Sherwood Forest designated as a Hunting Forest1969 - Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Sub-Regional Study1972 - Interim report: The Future of Sherwood Forest1974 - Sherwood Study: Area of Special Historic and Landscape

Significance1988 - The Plan for Sherwood Forest2000 - Sherwood Study: A Vision for Sherwood Forest2003 - Destination East Midlands, the Regional Tourism Strategy2004 - Experience Nottinghamshire – mission statement2005 - County Council supports the concept of a Regional Park2007 - Multi-sector partnership submitted £65m bid to the BIG

Lottery Fund2008 - Sherwood Forest Regional Park Feasibility Study completed2009 - Sherwood Forest Regional Park Board set up

Sherwood Forest Regional Park Board

Current membership:

Ashfield DC National TrustEdwinstowe PC Natural EnglandEnglish Heritage Newark and Sherwood DCExperience Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire CCForestry Commission Nottinghamshire Wildlife TrustFriends of Greenwood RSPBGedling BC Sherwood Forest TrustGreenwood Community Forest Thoresby Estate Groundwork Greater Nottingham Woodland TrustMansfield District CouncilNational Farmers Union

Sherwood Forest Regional Park Why and where?

The relevance of a Regional Park to the Sherwood Forest Area was recognised in the Regional Spatial Strategy (2005):  “in Sherwood ….. the distinctive landscape character and the scale of ecological, historic and woodland interest combine to create areas that are special to the people of the East Midlands ….. the distinctive character …. is threatened by pressure from a range of factors.

Co-ordinated action is required to ensure that such distinctiveness is retained”.

Sherwood Forest Regional Park Misconceptions

Sherwood Forest Regional Park would NOT:

• Have planning powers• Be another layer of bureaucracy• Replace existing authorities• Be a theme park, national park or country park

Sherwood Forest Regional ParkOur Vision….

   “….. is that by 2025, the Sherwood Forest area will be locally, nationally and internationally recognised as an area of outstanding natural significance and cultural heritage – where vibrant communities, economic regeneration and environmental enhancement thrive together in this inspiring natural setting.”

Sherwood Forest Regional ParkOur purpose

• Help bring about transformational change for the better for Sherwood Forest and surrounding areas

• Provide a strategic context, coordination and added value to the range of work that is already being carried out

• Stimulate new investment ambitions and aspirations to be achieved for the area

• Promote better the unique and iconic assets of Sherwood

 

Sherwood Forest Regional ParkOur key themes

• Community Empowerment (Sustainable Communities)

• Culture, Heritage and History

• Economic Development and Regeneration

• Image, Identify and Profile

• Natural Habitats and Landscape

• Recreation

• Visitor Economy

• Securing funding March 2015

• Development of the 7 Key Themes April 2015

• Completion of Masterplan May 2015

• Formal launch of Regional Park September 2015

• Implementation of Regional Park September 2015

onwards

Sherwood Forest Regional ParkOur critical milestones

Sherwood Forest Regional ParkOur success criteria

• Hectares of improved landscape and habitats

• Increase in visitor numbers to Sherwood area

• Creation of new jobs

• Number of new businesses started and sustained

• Improved visitor offer and increase in tourism spend

• Increase in funding for Sherwood projects

• Support for new community events/festivals

• Better promotion and coordination of the Sherwood Brand

• Improved health and quality of life for local communities

• Comments/views of the Bassetlaw Rural Conference• How can we get more people/organisations involved?• What do you want to get out of the Regional Park?

Sherwood Forest Regional ParkSo where do we go from here?

From dream to reality, lets make this happen!!

Thank you for your support

Sherwood Forest Regional Park