Wymondham pocket park secures £184,000 investment

South Norfolk Council and Wymondham Town Council have also each given a further £20,000 to enhance the community offering at Rothbury Park just North of the town.

South Norfolk Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Leisure, Cllr Kim Carsok, said:

“This investment is going to make a huge difference to local people of all ages. Residents are going to have an accessible, safe and welcoming space right on their doorstep which will benefit their physical and mental wellbeing and foster a strong sense of community cohesion. Families and friends will be able to meet up and enjoy picnics while children play. Older residents will be able to take some gentle exercise or relax on the new seating and enjoy the surroundings. The new trees and planting will give it year-round interest and attract wildlife, while improving the air quality. I am certain Rothbury Park will become a very special place that people can be proud of for many years to come.”

Wymondham Town Council in partnership with Greening Wymondham community group will be working to deliver the new scheme.

The project will deliver:

• A new hard-surfaced path linking the park’s two main entrances north and south, interwoven with a grass grid path, to improve accessibility for all users of the park and those passing through it.
• Accessible mounding and natural log-based play equipment, including, stepping logs, balance beam and slide.
• New seating and picnic tables to encourage socialising and enjoyment of the space and make the most of the Abbey views.
• Provision for cycle parking.
• New landscaping to enhance and support biodiversity, aiding urban cooling by planting species which will provide shade and support creative play opportunities.
• Adopt management techniques which help capture and store carbon for example reduced mowing, soil cultivation and landscaping.
• Retain the existing informal sports and activity area, (which is an emergency landing space for the Air Ambulance).
• Community involvement in the upkeep of the park (potentially a ‘Friends of Rothbury Park’)
• An inclusive leisure, exercise and learning space to meet the needs of the local community which residents can be proud of.

The town council also plans to replace the play equipment on the park, with the help of a £63,450 contribution from s106 money held by South Norfolk Council.

Work is planned to start in April 2025. The initial phase will involve the hard landscaping and new path, and later in the year, volunteers will complete the new planting schemes.

The Greater Norwich Growth Board is a unique partnership made up of Broadland District Council, South Norfolk Council, Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council.