Debate: Wrekin Visitor Centre
Posted on 11/12/2008 08:23 pm by adminA new visitor centre for Shropshire’s landmark hill could soon become a reality, thanks to cash backing from Telford & Wrekin Council.
A public consultation programme will start in the new year over exactly what should be done to cater for the thousands of people visiting The Wrekin each year.
The most likely location is the “donkey field” – a patch of open land to the north of the hill – which would be big enough for a visitor centre, car park and its own area of woodland.
The news was broken at Little Wenlock Village Hall on 3rd October 2008 at a public meeting to review the past year of work by the Wrekin Forest Project, a scheme to look after the hill and surrounding countryside for future generations.
As part of the consultation process, comments to this blog will be forwarded to Pete Lambert ( Wrekin Forest Project Officer ). Please note - your email address is required to add a comment, but this will not be published or shared with anyone without your permission
Also please note: some comments may be delayed for moderation, and any and all posts are subject to rejection or deletion by moderators. Please keep the discussion civil and relevant. Also please avoid over-lengthy posts and keep external links to a minimum.
November 12th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
I live near the Wrekin, and I think a visitor centre is an excellent idea. I wouldn’t like to see a shop with tacky souvenirs or any rubbish like that, but a source of information about the Wrekin, well-maintained toilets and (preferably secure) parking would be very welcome. I don’t see why people wanting to go up the Wrekin should have to start walking in Wellington, or risk their car getting broken into as some are now.
If a café and sales of information leaflets could help raise money for maintenance of paths that would be a bonus.
November 13th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Hi All,
As I am sure you now know Shropshire Wildlife Trust have been funded by Telford and Wrekin Council to support a further feasibility study into the virtues or otherwise of a visitor centre for the Wrekin Forest. The Wrekin Forest is a last remnant of a Norman hunting Forest. The Wrekin Forest includes not only the Hill but the open countryside which frames it. This area is the northern most part of the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Beauty, is much visited and much loved. Increasing numbers of visitors arrive daily to utilize the rich woodlands and pathways for various forms of outdoor recreation. In the past at the base of The Wrekin stood the Forest Glen Pavillion, providing food and entertainment. The Forest Glen was dismantled by 1980 and moved to Blist Hill. A toilet block was opened but has since been closed for a number of years. A widely consulted upon Landscape Conservation Plan was produced at the end of 2007. Out of the many proposed biodiversity initiatives a number of People focused areas were also included, one of these was an attempt to resolve the outstanding issue of road safety at the Forest Glen Junction and the development and maintenance of appropriate visitor facilities.
A part of the Telford and Wrekin Council funding , £17,497, is to be used to launch a specific public consultation in relation to a Wrekin Forest Visitor Centre. Specifically to look very closely at the following options
Do Nothing
Demolish old toilet block
Re-open old toilet block
Build new structure on site of old toilet block
Build new structure on foundations of Forest Glen pavilion
Create overflow car parking with new woodland planting in Donkey Field to mitigate car parking problems caused by existing arrangement.
Build new structure, car parking and new woodland planting in Donkey Field
Or ?
The favoured option does have to address the following conditions
It does not compromise special character of the Wrekin Forest
Car parking/ road safety issues are resolved by the development
The development has to be able to generate it’s own revenue to make it a sustainable long term solution to the provision of high quality facilities for the regular visitor and the country lover from afar.
If we don’t do ‘nothing’ , then how will a new/reopened visitor facility run
Community partnership
Local authority
Commercial operator
Charitable Heritage Trust
Or ?
To help the debate we welcome written thoughts, comments and proposals to the address below
or leave your comments here.
Whether to have or not have a visitor centre for the Wrekin Forest is an immensely complex thing, we do hope you will join the debate. Shortly we will be commissioning a set of illustrations to help move the debate further and let you know when and where these drop in sessions will take place.
I look forward to hearing from you , regards, Pete.
Pete Lambert , Wrekin Forest / Telford Green Network Officer
Shropshire Wildlife Trust
193 Abbey Foregate , Shrewsbury , Shropshire SY2 6AH
01743 284285
November 13th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
In reply to Pete Lambert’s mailing, posted above:
I have one immediate question which strikes at the heart of what is possible here. It centres on your bullet point: The development has to be able to generate its own revenue to make it a sustainable long term solution to the provision of high quality facilities for the regular visitor and the country lover from afar.
My question is ‘Why…?’ Why does it have to be able to generate its own sustainable revenue? Do the public toilets in Wellington, Telford or anywhere else exist only on the basis of generating sustainable revenue? Is there no such concept as the provision of Public Services for the benefit of visitors - no matter from where they come.? Does Westminster City Council only provide Public Toilets for its own residents or only where visitor numbers will enable those toilets / facilities to generate adequate income? Is not the provision of such facilities a basic service required of Local Authorities? If not, on which section of society does responsibility fall?
I have never understood the attitude of Telford and Wrekin Council. Members and Officers must recognise that considerable numbers of visitors visit the Wrekin daily with more at weekends. It takes half-an-hour for a fit person to reach the summit, more for the unfit or elderly. How do they imagine or expect that these people cope with calls of nature?
November 13th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
Special character of the Wrekin Forest
The special character is that it isn’t developed — it’s unspoiled. Or was, till ‘development, development, development’ SWT barged their way in. Inch by inch, flooding the place with unneccessary signs, plaques and notice boards.
Increasing numbers of visitors arrive daily
Today’s been very rainy. Only regulars were going up. I’d like to see evidence in the form of surveys that say that the regular visitor and the country lover from afar are in large enough numbers to buy massive numbers of kit-kats.
A sustainable long term solution
I’d like the £17,497 study to explain the impact of a visitor’s centre on Tom’s business & the Buckatree and if/when car parking charges are levied to detail the effects of large numbers parking in the village of Little Wenlock, Lawley and other hamlets and farms. There will be plenty refusing to pay £3 or £4 for the pleasure of their daily walk up the hill.
I believe a visitor centre will be a white elephant. Staffed by two bored employees, everyday, except Boxing Day and New Year’s Day when it’s really busy. It has to be two, for health and safety. Valuable stock will need to be taken home every night. How often has Telford Town Park’s little shop gone bust? Twice. A visitor centre in the middle of nowhere… A business success? You and your feasibility study are a numnuts waste of good cash.
If you go up often enough, rain or shine, you’ll see many familiar faces. I hear that recent surveys made have been erroneously based on footfall, recounting and recounting the regulars, not each unique visitor. Please publish this survey! I’ve asked, and asked you to be more open. Instead you’re shutting down, shutting debate out.
Car parking is only a problem on a few days of the year. Hot weather on a holiday weekend and Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Increased car parking will just result in more visitors in cars, until the increased car parking will need to be increased. You’d want then, to eat more Wrekin and yet more. This would be a sign of success to you. More grants, more feasibility studies, more ‘wildlife’ jobs.
Did you see the car park today? I saw three cars. Three!
I cannot see many fresh visitors being drawn in to a visitor centre. Been once? Why would I, as a regular, go again and again? Visitors from afar? Tosh! Utter dreamland. Wake up! Smell the coffee.
What else is there to draw large numbers to Telford?
Is Ironbridge awash with tourists? It’s the one draw TAW has. Ask the shop owners and the pubs what it’s like in colder 6 months of the year. I’ll tell you, it’s dead. It ain’t too busy in the summer either. I walk my dog there every day.
Is the cafe at the Greenwood Centre busy? Once a year, on Apple Day. The rest of the time it’s closed. Nobody goes there! I’ve been several times… “Darn it, it’s shut again.”
The mooted idea that large numbers of tourists are coming to Much Wenlock for the Olympics and will stop off at The Wrekin is foolish. To plan a visitor centre for this once-in-a-lifetime tiny ‘overflow’ is criminal.
Tourists certainly don’t come to see the collection of sheds that is the town centre. Nor the second hand shops in Wellington. What else is there? Erm… Nothing. Face it. Telford isn’t on the tourist’s map.
Further afield: The Secret Hills Discovery Centre in Craven Arms was a financial basket case. Still is, if you pay a large chunk of change for a family of four for the quarter of an hour it takes to see it all — never, ever again. Should we too, move Wellington’s library to the donkey field?
Church Stretton’s Carding Mill Valley? Funded by the National Trust. And steep car parking charges, if you’re a regular… Which I am. I’ve stopped paying. There’s no penalty. Beyond the frown of the gent who tickets you with a ‘request’ who’s paid out of the charges. I’ll pay for an inner city muti story, with CCTV, but not for a patch of wind swept gravel. Not any more.
Do you really, really think that the tiny number of ‘country lovers from afar’ are going to spend, spend, spend in a visitor centre. (Don’t mention the credit crunch and the coming deep recession.) Tourists must spend. Or they’ll end up as a cost! And boy, are they costing already and they’re not even coming. Ever. Not in the numbers you need.
Everything on The Wrekin works well enough as it is. The benign neglect The Wrekin has suffered from for many, many decades has bestowed upon us a remarkable, stunning wild treasure. Do not rip out this wilderness and turn it into an inner city park like so many other wild places spoiled by other ‘wildlife’ trusts. ‘Sustainable’ to SWT means more development money to keep you all in jobs. Very little money is spent on actual ‘wildlife.’ A fraction of a tiny amount in this recent case…
Witness the massive £35,750 from TAW council. Only £700 is being spent on Woodland management training and conservation work the rest is for meetings, £16,353 toward Pete’s pay and £17,497 to one person to tell them, on paper, precisely what they already know—as is the consultant’s way.
Dear reader, how much do you earn in a year? When was the last time you saw a cheque for thirty five grand? Think of the scale of that £35,050 which is wasted. Over thirty five grand which could have refitted and reopened the toilets. Just £700 is ear marked for actual field work. Just a part of £700! You lot should hang your heads in shame. Wildlife Trust is a sham name—a lie. You are a wild places development board. A wolf in sheeps clothing.
Tell us how much you paid the two gents to dress up in Carovilli outfits, to walk up The Wrekin for a publicity stunt to raise money for your plans for the regrassing of one of the gates. How much for the teas at Tom’s. The photographer and the rest of the expenses. So that you, could put in an application for tens of thousands of pounds, again. Tell us how that huge grant is going to be split. Tell us how much will go toward keeping you in a job? Sorry Pete, you’re a nice affable fella, I like you. But you’re treating the hill like a meal ticket.
How much again for that massive, ungainly, eye sore of a sign below Hell’s gate… Seventeen grand wasn’t it? How much for the wood, the making, the graphic design, the erection, the consultation, meetings?
Under the Freedom of Information Act I’m going to find out, out of the surely millions you spend, how much small change actually goes wildlife: on trees, grass, bird boxes, et al. Wages, cars, buildings, developments, hospitality, meetings, signs, plaques, tarmacking.
All we want is the bogs reopened. Nothing more. Zero. Zip. The council’s silly excuses for not opening them are repeated by you. And you’ve jumped at the chance to develop, develop, develop; spend, spend, spend; arrange meeting, after meeting, after meeting; waste, waste, waste.
The Council? They too know where money is available and want to spend it, no matter about the frogs that pass through the donkey field, nor the badgers, the birds, the grasses and insects. What fund did this money come from? Did they have to spend it quickly, else it would go back to its central source? Again, Freedom of Information Act will uncover the nonsense.
No! This one place, this wild place, is going to stay wild. I, for one, am going to stand up and shake an angry fist at your cynical betrayal of the word ‘wild.’ And I know more people are standing with me.
Save The Wrekin!
Just leave it alone.
More anti SWT development and comment on http://www.wrekinfriends.com and read why cowardly SWT don’t want you to go to there.
[Edit - apologies for the delay in the appearance of this post, it was automatically held for moderation because it contained two links, which can be an indication of spam. Moderators are not on duty 24/7, sorry. - Admin]
November 14th, 2008 at 2:00 am
I have another point to raise. Why is the ‘official Wrekin Forest Visitor Centre Blog’ on a website dedicated to Little Wenlock?
Kind of a little Orwellian don’t you think?
November 14th, 2008 at 10:19 am
In reply to Keith Harris’s mailing posted above:
As the editor of Little Wenlock website, I have been involved in the very recent development of this site with the introduction of a “Blog”. This blog will provide an opportunity for comments to be received - positive, negative and all hopefully constructive, on a whole range of topics impacting on the village of Little Wenlock and its surrounding area.
Further to proposing various options for a Wrekin Forest Visitor Centre, the Shropshire Wildlife Trust indicated in the press that it wished to launch a public consultation. It was my suggestion to offer Pete Lambert of the Shropshire Wildlife Trust the use of the Blog, in order to receive comments on a topic that has raised passionate debate around our locality. The use of the Blog by supplementing other means of healthy debate, can only be beneficial towards arriving at a considered outcome for the Wrekin Forest Visitor Centre.
Alan Lees
November 14th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Just to clarify - the ‘Admin’ of this site and blog, ie me, has a technical role in updating the blog and main site, but no axe to grind whatsoever in this matter. I live near the Wrekin, climb it from time to time, and have a personal opinion about what I’d like to see.
I have no connection with the SWT.
Kath (Site Admin)
November 14th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I think it is imperative that there is more car parking at the bottom of the Wrekin. The current situation is indefensible, and if an area has been offered it should be taken up.
The question of a visitor centre is difficult. Once buildings are erected they have to be maintained and staffed and it is questionable whether there are enough visitors to make a visitor centre viable. The Wrekin is very busy at weekends but is very quiet in the week, and there would be big security issues.
In the past a hot dog van has provided food at weekends and its demise is a sad loss and it should be reinstated. This would provide food at no cost to the authorities.
The lack of toilet facities is a problem, but there are solutions available. There is a company, Healthmatic (can be googled), which provides ‘Automatic Toilets - solution for 24-hour toilet provision’ with various automatic security controls. They do adapt old toilets the old toilets could probably be converted, or new ones could be part of the car park provision.
November 14th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
In reply to Alan and admin:
Thank you for your response.
Perhaps I can post an amended article I wrote for another site. The amended parts additional and are marked by stars.
“In Defence of the Old Woman of Shropshire”
There’s a curious demise of rationality adrift in the world today and who really knows who or what is to blame. Whomever or whatever, there are, I am mightily sure, Salopians and non-Salopians who alike have trundled up the naturally entertaining pathways leading to the Wrekin’s summit to breast and gaze and … dream.
Many of those will have gone on to become part of some project or another that took away forever a once familiar and loved part of inherited natural surrounds. Some may have just made a living out of doing so, while others might have amassed small fortunes.
On that mystical summit, others may have found the space to dream visions that led them to wider pastures in life while others may simply have enjoyed the naturalness of it all.
Building a car park and entertainment complex of any sort near the Wrekin would destroy forever the reality of what the Wrekin is. True Salopians know that. There is no regular bus service to the Wrekin, no hourly Wrekin tour bus. You make your own way there by hook or crook and that is all part of the fun and pleasure of the visit.
*** A car park, perhaps, but a correctly constructed and managed one. Examples are Danebury for instance in Hampshire ( http://www3.hants.gov.uk/hampshire-countryside/danebury.htm ) and Beacon Hill, also in Hampshire (http://www3.hants.gov.uk/hampshire-countryside/beacon-hill.htm)
*** The car parks provide ample spaces, are free and there are working toilets, also free. There is no visitor centre, simply an information board with a plan of the site and some background details. Refreshments are provided during busier times by travelling ice cream vans and the occasional mobile sandwich bar. Everything works fine and the natural qualities of the area have not been denuded. But a Wrekin visitor centre? No no no. Let visitors travel to the villages or other locations to find food etc should they require it. ***
However, not all Salopians, bless ‘em, know the Wrekin like a Wrekinite, or Wrekinonian who lived within its view.
In a trip about the Wrekin’s nooks and crannies and summits there is for young and old alike an infinite world of natural enjoyment free of the MacDonald Burger King supermarket plasmodified lifestyle of the 21 century, though just how no-one thought of the idea of putting a pay gaming machine on the summit that lit up the old red beacon when you did the right thing I cannot quite fathom.
The naturalness of the Wrekin is its very beauty and it is that very commodity that should be retained for future generations. It provides a respite from the human world of struggle, greed and daily inanities and insanities that we somehow call life.
Imagine – a grand complex nearby, soon filling up with fast food joints and all kinds of clutter for sale and young fat kids unable to climb one third of the way up the first segment of the hill before having to be rescued by emergency workers.
As a tourist attraction – the fact that it is there is attraction enough. To plan for ‘catering for the tourists’ to the Wrekin is to plan for nothing other than cashing in on that catering. If you try to tell me otherwise, I will simply say I am sorry, I am a Wrekinite, but you can call me a Wrekinonian if you wish.
The Wrekin is older than the Himalayas by many millions of years. It has a streak of granite rock at its core that rises to the surface nowhere else on the planet except the Falkland Islands.
Let those who wish to find the Wrekin find it, and find it as it is. That is part of the spiritual journey.
And that is the heritage we should be bequeathing to future generations.
[Edit: this comment has appeared higher than apparently later ones because the number of links caused it to be automatically delayed for moderation - Admin]
November 14th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Toilets are definately needed and I think the cost of re-opening should come from the Council’s coffers as it is within their domain as a tourist attraction. The idea of a food / drink van is a very good one as it can be used in on as and when basis. I for one would not like to see any building on the Wrekin but use of the existing facilities (toilet block / halfway house) must be explored. As for SWT involvement, there is a lot of regeneration work to come on the Hill Fort and this would not have been funded without their help.
November 14th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
TO ALL FRIENDS OF THE WREKIN
Just because Steve Hooker goes over the top doesn’t mean he’s wrong.
The Wrekin’s wildness and unique character should be sacred.
I don’t want to see any development other than lavatories at the Forest Glen site.
If there is to be a Visitor Centre, Museum of The Wrekin or similar display centre then it should be in Wellington town where it’s safer and much more viable.
Be happy,
George the Ancient.
November 14th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
A comment has been deleted. Not spam, not offensive, but not on topic either. Please keep to the subject at hand. Thanks - Admin.
November 14th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Your deletion of my submisiion has been noted.
The quote and link far from being not on the Topic i feel brings people to focus and think about the topic in hand.
If you are prepared to host this “blog”, I hate the word, all submissions which are not indecent not offensive shouuld not be censored.
The issue we are deeling with here is not just a little Wenlock greater Local, National even international Importance.
I have been Censored for attempting to draw focus on the topic by a legitimate if emotional manner.
November 14th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
I’m sorry you feel that way, but our intention is keep comments strictly on topic. The issue we are dealing with, right here in this discussion, is specifically as described in Pete’s post above. There are plenty of places to discuss wider issues. Moderator’s decision is final.
November 14th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Car parking. Not so long ago, in the 60s and 50s and earlier, when there weren’t so many cars, people would walk from Woodside. 5 Miles. Then, climb The Wrekin.
I’d suggest banning parking, use the car parks just for dropping off. Double yellows and the occasional parking warden visit.
A car park below Little Wenlock and/or the motorway and people can walk a little bit more.
Solves the parking in a stroke. Cuts down visitor numbers, naturally. Makes everyone a little more healthy. Maintains the hill’s integrity.
Don’t see why The Wrekin should be compromised for the 20th century love affair with the motor car. It’s not her fault.
November 15th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
From the Shropshire Star 13th Nov 2008. “Mr Lambert said planting trees in the field, using solar power at the centre and giving it a turf roof would help reduce its carbon footprint.”
Car park, ripping up green space?
Your bribery attempt is cheap.
November 17th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Good morning, good to see the thoughts and comments coming through.At this stage of the consultation it is important to understand exactly what the issues and concerns might be. It is clear that when the Wrekin Forest is considered that these are many and deeply felt.As to the next part of the process I will be preparing a questionaire that will allow us to gather numbers to be put against the variuos options,to allow the many people involved in the care of the Wrekin Forest understand how those who visit want it looked after. I will let everyone know where to get hold of a copy of the questionaire and you or the group you represent might like to consider it as a petition for your point of view.
Thnaks for the comment so far keep them coming,
Cheers, Pete
Pete Lambert , Shropshire Wildlife Trust
November 17th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Whilst trying to take an objective view of the proposed idea for development of the “Donkey Field”, and attempt to find positive aspects and impact of such a development, the more I feel that this would be dreadful mistake and regretted in years to come.
Indeed not only development of the Donkey field but any development of the area adjacent to the sides of the Wrekin. For example any development of the rifle range. . These lower slopes are visible from areas quite away from the Wrekin. and make up the iconic site which the Wrekin is.
Over the years I have had many friends as visitors stay with me, and during my tours of Shropshire which I tend to tend to take them on, the visit to to the top of the Wrekin is one of the highlights they all seem to remember.
Indeed for younger members of the families I have had visiting it is there first encounter with a proper rural hill and is such a great adventure.
When trying to reconcile as to why this is, it seems to come down to the same feature.
The attraction of of The Wrekin is its relatively unspoilt beauty in relation to it near urban developments, together with its marvelous views. Look west from the Summit and the views are arguably world class of the largely rural landscape of Shropshire and beyond. Look east and you see the development which has changed the area forever. I will never be able to experience the views that were there some 50 or 100 years ago.. If we start seeing development of the environs surrounding the Wrekin the area will be changed for ever and will not be replaceable - lost forever.
We are in the early stages of what might happen to this area. However in too many cases, not only with TWC when there is money up for grabs the end results are far from what was originally planned, despite questionnaires and supposed democratic process.
I acknowledge and would support an an initiative based in Wellington. or even possibly Little Wenlock to promote the the features of the Wrekin forest area.. Indeed properly marketed, by private venture as well as some public funding could well prove the opportunity that Wellington needs to go forward and present itself as the Gateway to the Wrekin Forest.,and to Shropshire Itself. One private venture that has recently opened is the reopening of the Wrekin Public House in Wellington. One of its decor features being a collection of pictures and maps sourced from Alan Frost.
Decisions that will affect The Wrekin and the Wrekin Forest will be made in the future.
To protect the area from development would be a worthwhile achievement that we could be proud of, whilst maintaining the integrity of the area for future generations to enjoy as I have done and many thousands if not millions have done before me.
I hope that we prevail in maintaining the area as it largely is at present. An egg breaks easily but is impossible to put together again. We cannot be left with the potential detrimental results of what the planners bureaucrats. council officials etc achieve and have long since retired or moved on and we are left with there mistakes. The risk just isn’t worth it.
Steve Turvey
November 17th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Whoever commissions consultants to assess the viability and need for a visitor centre must make it absolutely clear to the consultant, that an option NOT to pursue the visitor centre is equally as acceptable as an option to pursue it. Consultants almost invariably come up with the answer they think the client wants, so it is imperative that the client (Shrops Wildlife Trust and Telford Council?) emphasises that it has a completely open mind on the visitor centre. Otherwise there will be a cooked up set of poorly referenced evidence, and we may well be saddled with a visitor centre we cannot afford to maintain. What this means is that money that could be spent on maintaining and improving the Wrekin for wildlife will be sucked up by visitor centre costs.
We should be extremely cautious about this proposal.
November 18th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
a questionnaire that will allow us to gather numbers
Pete, I’m banging my head against a brick wall.
First you reject WrekinFriends.com because it’s too ‘anti.’
Second, you pick a site that you think will be more ‘pro.’ Only to find you’re not getting the answers you need.
Now, when you can see sentiment rising against your plans, you’re going to ask friends, family and others who you think will be ‘pro.’ Or, put another way, maybe the third bite of the cherry will bring you better luck?
Strikes me you’re floundering, desperate to find more than a handful of people dumb enough to let you ‘pave paradise.’ And you’ll call this a mandate.
November 19th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Dear Steve, in reply to your questions above
firstly I have had to withdraw from using the Friends.com site to disseminate information in regard to the activities of the Wrekin Forest project because the web site does not meet our basic expectations.At the Shropshire Wildlife Trust we hope that our partners and co-respondents can communicate with us at all levels honestly whether in open debate or in confidence. I felt that the recent breach in confidentiality and the heavy handed editorial approach to my news items was inconsistent with our desire to engage with others in healthy and productive debate. It is with regret we have to withdraw our direct communications with the Friends website.
In answer to your second question, we are running a feasiblility study, intially a public debate, to see what is FEASIBLE. The answers I need are what is possible, acceptable , sustainable, appropriate and in keeping with the esential character of the Wrekin Forest. In this respect it is not only the Hill but the surrounding countryside that has to be taken into account. Regardless of how little we decide to do, Telford will still keep growing, and as usual I among others will be picking up litter off paths and parking areas for years to come.
Over the last 12months I have visited Delamere Forest , Cannock Chase, Clwdian Hills AONB and Snowdonia National Park,and met with the NT Warden of Carding Mill Valley boring my family by discussing how these diferent areas have tried to meet the challenge brought by the daily demands of the visitor.I have tried to get a sense of how the characters of the places have been preserved whilst still providing safe walking, refreshments, visitor information. I am hoping that the particpants in the debate will be able to draw out a set of simple modest solutions for some obvious problems.
Since July 2006 when the Wrekin Forest project was started we have had an unrivalled opportunity to spend tiem with the natural triumphs of teh Wrekin Forest and do our best to understand the problems. Below are a sample of some of the issues that have arisen over the last two years and now we are trying to resolve one way or another:
Car parking - At peak times there is clearly insufficent parking capacity, we cannot make our car park bigger, charging will displace cars onto the roadside and further compromise road safety, how will a road layout change help the safety aspect of the junction, if we expand car parking capacity will it take into account the increase in vehicle use etc
Visitor facilities - the defunct toilet block, can it be re-opened , re-developed, demolished as an eyesore , an average stay is no longer than 3 hours ,offer investment to Halfway House, enhance the facilities at the Buckatree, plan a new structure, where Forest Glen or Donkey Field etc
So far we have views and comment from many people including yourselves, owners of the Hill, individuals and residents. I am still awaiting news of a meet we at the Trust has requested with Telford and Wrekin Council. The Council own the Toilet block and without knowing what is feasible from the owners what is clearly the key issue, we remain with a very difficult task indeed. I am hoping the fact that TWC are funding the feasiblity means that we will get an answer for the question posed to me on the first day I worked for the Trust as my new employers pointed at me and then the toilet block and said ’solve that!’
Hope you can help, cheers, Pete.
November 20th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
I go running or walking on the Wrekin most weeks in all kinds of weather. I like the wild feel that it has for an area so close to a large town. I think a visitor centre would spoil the area and prove a waste of money. Leave the countryside alone. The planners and developers have plenty of opportunities with urbanising the rest of the Telford.
Regards,
Nick Thomas
November 21st, 2008 at 12:12 am
Point by point
Wrekinfriends.com Basic expectations? A platform to speak to in interested an engaged audience. Comments are always open, you, indeed are a managing editor. If I err you could correct me as any other web surfer can. You could demonstrat your knowledge and insight is better than mine, fully publicly. Instead your boss’s basic expectations was that it should bow down and kiss his feet, for surely, right is on your side. Arrogance or cowardice? One or other, or both.
Partner? AFRTW was supposed to have one person on your WFP. I believe the resignation of our chairman had something to do with agreeing with the formation of a WFP, behind closed doors, and agreeing to be our rep on WFP without consultation. I hear he’s risen up the ranks to the AONB thingy. AFRTW is a disorganised group of concerned individuals. We each do what we want. I’m no partner of yours—never said I would be. Again, the site is open, if I’m wrong, you can call me on it in public.
Confidentiality? I put everything I can find on the the site, all news is interesting news and should be made public. I hate, with a passion, your behind closed door, back room dealings—as you well know. You didn’t disavow the site because of a ‘breach of confidentiality.’ You disavowed because I made fun of your organisation—then, I breached your self announced publicity embargo. Now, I’m resorting to the Freedom of Information Act to draw out the information I feel the public needs to know. It’s a bad situation. Your secrecy IMHO covers up too much darkness. Time to shine some light into your organisation.
Feasible? Is there a few pages dedicated to minimizing traffic? The contrary view of just the bogs opened, car parking squeezed, traffic calmed? A low cost solution. Instead, you’re after the big idea—one that will bring in the grants.
Telford growing? Indeed. But why should the hill be turned into some safe, tamed, visitor attraction? Why encourage the vast swathes you seem to think are on their way? Why not make it a little more tricky to get there, not enough parking, no gift shop, no kit-kats… Maybe they’ll pop off to somewhere a lot less muddy, easier to walk up and buy an icecream. I see The Wrekin as a jewel from a lost crown. Keep it wild and wilderness lovers will seek it out. Make it safe, refreshing and informative, and you’re probably right, the townies will come in swarms. You’ll seek yet more grants and food for your children; for yet more parking and yet more interpretation boards “this an oak tree=>” “this is a steep path=>” “this an igneous rock=>”
[Preserving the] characters of the places [you've] visited? Whilst providing safe walking, refreshments and info. I don’t want safe walking on The Wrekin. I don’t want tarmac nor prissy bridges nor steps and banisters. Witness the walks along Wenlock Edge. They’re in now, probably impossible to take out. I want The Wrekin to be kept wild. Why is there a need to provide a cup of tea, meals, cakes, crappy, expensive, middle class gifts? I go for the trees, not a cappuccino. Visitor information? Why??? Especially on site. Try to take a picture of a castle, or a view of some relic and keep the ‘interpretation’ boards out of the scene! Intrusive, unnecessary clutter. Sure, information dissemination can have its place, but in car parks is good, on site is bad.
And the character of The Wrekin, as others have pointed out, is that it is wild, that it doesn’t have such city walker taming. If only you’d recant and come aboard and preserve what the hill is! But you want change, for the sake of the grants it gives you and the food it puts on the table for your family. It’s not your fault, it’s the system you have to work in. But, it is impossible for you to come over to the side of ‘the leave it alone’ party. There simply are no grants to do nothing.
Peak time parking? I went through tonight (Thursday) at 2pm. Five cars were parked scattered around the Forest Glen. Five! Peak time is Boxing Day and New Year’s day. Some sunny days in summer. Don’t eat any Wrekin to satisfy such a low number of peak days. Get us to park further away! On those odd, very odd days.
I’m reaching out to other wild places, blighted by similar organisations. I’m sure we not unique. I know you’re a nice guy. A tree lover, if ever there was one. But dude, systemically you’re a devil IMHO. Every time I think of you, I have the song, “paved paradise, put a parking lot,” in my mind. Clearly, a wildlife trust so painted is in a bad PR place.
I’ve always been taught, in business, that problems are opportunities. You, your organisation, could, really could, turn volte-face to developing The Wrekin. You could champion its wildness and search hard for grants to preserve its wild character. Such a wild place could, really, really could, be a winner for T&WC. They could market The Wrekin as the one remaining place in the whole of the UK that eschewed taming. A place where nature rules—completely. The jewel from a lost crown.
Investment to the Halfway House? I like it as it is. It serves its purpose. It fits in completely. Tom’s crazy seats. The raggedy fencing. Think of those shops they find. Dusty shelves full of stock from a by-gone era. I’d worry that Tom’s would become all glass walls and oak floor tiles. Mrs Tom, wearing a uniform and hat, flashing the bar codes past a laser beam. You’ve said it’s easy for you to get lots, and lots of grants. Please don’t flash the cash at Tom. One day, he or his kin might accept it. Why can’t the Halfway House be celebrated as it is? It’s perfect. But, I guess, to your eyes it’s scruffy and embarrassing. It says, you haven’t done your job—raised grants to improve.
Enough… I could go on…
Hope I’m helping,
Steve
November 21st, 2008 at 9:52 am
Just a reminder of the “Activities of the SWLT”
As taken from The Charity Commission Website For England and Wales Website
THE KEY AIM OF SHROPSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST IS TO WORK TOWARDS AND PROMOTE A SHROPSHIRE RICHER IN WILDLIFE. FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT TO PROMOTE THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE AND NATURE RESOURCES AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF KNOWLEDGE IN NATURAL SCIENCES, IN PARTICULAR BY:
1. RESEARCH AND ADVICE
2. THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF CONSERVATION AREAS
3. EDUCATION
The reports filed to the Charity Commission are all in the public domain and readily searchable and are dated October 2007.
Steve Turvey
November 21st, 2008 at 10:50 am
Is the main problem that during the busy times, Bank holidays and some summer sunday afternoons the car parking is not adequate? Well, these are the times that the carparks in Wellington are empty. So surely the answer is simple, a regular park and ride bus service, from Wellington. This would have the added ‘knock on effect’ of giving Wellington a bit of life at these busy times. The visitor centre could be incorporated into the proposed new leisure/civic centre, a coffee shop, visual displays, toilets etc.
I travel around the country a lot and as I take my dogs with me I am always look for places to walk. The number of times I come across visitor centres closed, have reduced opening hours, or so dead you just know they will be closed next time I will be travelling though the area. Cafes seem to fare particularly badly always changing hands, then next time you go, closed. Comes to mind is a Wildlife Trust visitor centre (north of the country). Last time I was there it felt as if there had been a bereavement. Do we really want this? No, I don’t. To me the wonderful thing about the Wrekin is that its wildness. Most people only want to go to the top, so even on the busy days,it is quite easy to escape the crowds and find peace. Last boxing day (very busy) Once off the main track, I found it peaceful, saw a badger and some deer. Wonderful
Just an added note. If there are going to be all these new trails. Who is going to pick up the litter?
Pippa
November 21st, 2008 at 8:03 pm
@Steve Turvey: Got the report. It’s a good intro to SWT background. Thanks
@Pippa White: Good idea re empty car parks in Wellington town centre during those odd peak days. The unintended consequence of increased trade is also most excellent thinking. The sort of thinking that’s needed.
November 26th, 2008 at 11:22 am
Hi, sorry I have’nt been able to post stuff recently madly busy, I have though been able to ead through the comments and ideas above which have been all very useful. For the moment I have just a few things to add.
Firstly just to clarify the role of Shropshire Wildlife Trust. We are part of a national network of County based Wildlife Conservation charities regulated by the Charities Commission.Each Trust operates as a Charitable Trust. Shropshire Wildlife Trust owns over 39 Nature Reserves, many of which are statutorily protected under the auspices of Natural England.
The Trust own part of the Ercall Local Nature Reserve, Telford and Wrekin Council own the section closest to the M54. The Ercall is also just a small part of the ‘Wrekin and Ercall Site of Special Scientific Interest protected in law under Act of Parliament [incl. Countryside and Wildlife Act 1981] . Above this the Ercall and Wrekin are also part of the northern section of the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a landscape designation arising from the National Parks and Countryside Act 1949. The Trust has a duty to consider it’s responsiblity in relation to nature conservation whether a statutory direct relationship through ownership of designated land or by working to promote good relations with our neighbours to achieve co-ordinated landscape scale nature conservation.
In relation to the Wrekin Forest, which is the term used by Shropshire Hills AONB and others to embrace the whole complex of countryside and woodland which includes the Hill, we led teh production of a landscape conservation plan published in 2007 and available to download at the AONB website http://www.shropshirehillsaonb.co.uk
Over the last 12 months we have sought funding to carry foward the plan into action. These include a range of biodiversity related initiatives and a second set of people related issues. The current feasibility study into whether a Wrekin Forest Visitor Centre arose directly from wide public consultation and continuing disatisfaction with the current visitor arrangements. The Trust have a direct interest in the safety and welfare of visitors to the Wrekin Forest as we own and maintain the main car park at what is known as the Forest Glen.As a consequence we offered to lead the public consultation on how to address the clear concerns in regard to rising visitor numbers,poor facilities as seen by the closed toilet block and the traffic management made worse by wide seasonal variation.
We do aapreciate all your comments so far and as promised in the press release will host a public open meeting to further tease out a way forward.
That’s all for now,cheers, Pete.
November 30th, 2008 at 12:05 am
…The Trust has a duty to consider it’s responsiblity in relation to nature conservation whether a statutory direct relationship through ownership of designated land or by working to promote good relations with our neighbours to achieve co-ordinated landscape scale nature conservation.
Juicy sentence from you Pete
What’s it mean then?
I see your spelling, but those don’t sound like your words.
And the rest, before this… Well, I couldn’t give at rat’s a%$* about who you are, nor other places in Shropshire. You’ve only just gotten a power stranglehold on the democracy of The Wrekin’s landscape. You haven’t ruined it yet. However, I see your corporate goobledygook written my your masters, who do intend to conquer all in their pursuit of a tarmacked, interpreted, tamed hill. And the grants that go with it.
Don’t see this as personal Pete, I like you, but your organisation sees the “safety and welfare,” “ownership,” “maintenance,” “funding,” “initiatives,” “people related issues,” as primary. All we wanted was the bogs opened. The rest of the hill can do without the dynamic corporate ’speakski.’
Please, I implore you! Leave the hill alone.
Pretty much. Let her run down and wear out, and grow and change naturally. Stick that in your bosses’ pipes. Please, have an option in the feasibility study: ‘The Nothing Much Option.’
Gooo-on
You know it makes sense. Think of the glory. The joy of giving everyone what they want for the hill. It is Christmas, after all. It’s good to give.
Otherwise I’ll set my snarling dog after you. Heh! Or course I jest. You’ve met my dog, she’s cute. I’ll let you pat her… If you give for Christmas.
Also in the 17th of December’s stocking: the ‘Sweetdeal Variant.’ The ‘Good Old Days Variant.’ And lots and lots of bird boxes and the like.
Get your corporate bosses to give generously. And stop them whoring the hill.
December 3rd, 2008 at 5:45 pm
A stray thought ….. A simple step to re-wilding the Wrekin would be knocking down the closed toilet block, a day or twos work to remove this eyesore, most people who visit seem to be local, as a keen walker I don’t usually expect public conveniences in remote wild locations and certainly the horror at the top of Snowdon invariably spoils the summit of an otherwise splendid social event of walking to the top.
Just a thought,Pete.
December 10th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Visitor centres can be great places. I would love to see a venue where local people and visitors can gain a greater understanding of The Wrekin’s geology, its human past, its whole ’story’. It is an icon for the county and deserves that sort of attention. However, should such a facility be provided at The Wrekin itself? I can’t help but agree that the wildness, the ‘naturalness’ of the hill and its surroundings are partly what makes it so valuable and so appealing - particulary in the context of a continually expanding Telford nearby.
Whilst certain comments on this issue have been very over the top (I don’t think there’s any risk of The Wrekin becoming a prettified ‘inner city park’) I DO fear that any new development, how ever sympathetic, threatens the very thing that makes this place so valuable. I’m all for helping people to understand and appreciate places - for ‘interpretation’ - but maybe in this instance, interpretation equals noise.
So, let’s leave the hill and its immediate surroundings as undeveloped as we can. Let’s put this proposed facility or something like it in Wellington where it can be more easily secured, where footfall is greater, where parking is plentiful and where any building provided (or converted) for the purpose can be turned to other uses if future demands change. I realise that this means it won’t be directly accessible for Wrekin walkers, but they’re there for the walking rather than the information, so I don’t think they’ll mind - and if they want to come down into Wellington, all well and good.
In short, a building in the Donkey Field might be great, but it might also become a struggling white elephant. That risk, along with the risk that it undermines the warts and all wildness (or at least rurality) of the hill, should be enough to make us say ‘thanks for the offer, but no thanks.’
Best,
Rob
December 11th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
In the last 12 months the Wrekin Museum Partnership was formed to campaign for a museum to celebrate the Wrekin based in Wellington. We have been listening in on the development of their ideas. I think an off-site solution to providing visitor facilities in the age of the car has a high degree of appeal.
I wonder how we might make the link between Wellington and the Wrekin so strong and real that the visitor will make the journey from the wild hill to the town? Will visitors see the sense in not providing facilities at the base of the Hill, bar car parking and simple information?
Recent discussion with Telford and Wrekin Council in regard to the existing closed toilet block highlighted two issues, firstly the vandalism was intermittent, happening in clusters, secondly of more concern was the anti-social behaviour that the building attracted. Of many concerns with locating a structure in secluded rural location is the negative pull of the building at night, during periods of closure and even at peak periods.Public conveniences even in urban locations suffer from being magnets for anti-social behaviour. The Forest Glen car park weekly litter pick includes drug and sex litter indicative of inappropiate activity in a public location. Will keeping facilities at a good quality minimum ie adequate parking be a wiser future prospect for the Wrekin Forest?
Cheers, Pete.
December 15th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
We are holding a meeting of All Friends Round The Wrekin
at 7pm, on Wednesday 17th December in Wellington Civic Centre.
Apart from a few moments of AGM voting this will be an open dicussion about The Wrekin’s future, with everyone free to air their views.
Topics include Visitor Centre, Traffic, Hillfort & Opencast Coal mining.
It’s a public meeting - all are welcome - BUT
We had a big crowd last time, so come early to get a seat.
George Evans, President until 17.12.08.
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:51 am
[...] is a really good debate running here about a new visitor centre for a local beauty spot. As you follow the thread you can see [...]
January 8th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Standing with the many beside Steve…
“Save The Wrekin!
Just leave it alone.”
simples