Storming Castle Park

A project to transform a historic Bishop’s Stortford park into a vibrant community hub and an area of rich wildlife habitats is underway, and you can help. Countryside Management Service community engagement officer

- Emily Clowry

IN 2017, the Castle Park project was awarded a grant through the Parks for People programme (part of the Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund) to develop detailed plans for a £2m bid to enhance the historic green space in the heart of Bishop’s Stortford. Led by the Countryside Management Service (CMS), East Herts District Council and Bishop’s Stortford Town Council, the scheme aims to enhance the park for people and wildlife and protect and conserve the site’s rich heritage.

The plan for Castle Park falls under four broad categories – events and recreation, biodiversity, conservation, and infrastructure. We want the park to be a community hub and provide a space for a range of events while also allowing it to be a great space for recreational activities. Since the start of the project, we have hosted a number of events at the site including bat walks, health walks, a fun run, a heritage open day and conservation volunteering.

Castle Park is home to a variety of wildlife and throughout the project, we will be enhancing the area with better planting and wildlife habitats.