Northwood before Newlands

A long strip of derelict land along the northern border of the Northwood Estate, the Northwood site had only one entrance and no formal paths.

Coupled with this, the site had high palisade fencing and limited facilities - no benches, rubbish bins, signage and so on.  All this meant that Northwood was an unwelcoming place, best known for fly-tipping crime and anti-social behaviour..

What Newlands did at Northwood

The project started with extensive community consultation regarding the plans for Northwood.  This included leaflets, surveys, community drop-ins and an on-line blog to encourage residents to have their say.

Following investment through the Newlands programme,  a new entrance was created and a path linked the community to the new pond and wetlands area.  Fishing pegs, connected to the path via a boardwalk, were installed to allow local residents to fish and pond dip. 

It was important that children and young adults were engaged in the site, so they were involved in conservation volunteering, ecological surveying and designing entrance features.

Northwood today

- Northwood is now a community woodland.  A clean and safe environment that is well used and loved by local people.

Northwood is now a community woodland, a clean and safe natural environment that is well used and loved by local people.

Extensive community consultation and engagement in the planning stages has meant that the site has been designed, and continues to be maintained by residents