said: "The
future aspirations and proposals for the area are being put
forward by the Riverside Project and are a result of three years
of consultation with users of the green space adjacent to the
River Weaver.
"The
plans have been produced in partnership with organisations
including the Weaver Valley Regional Park and the Mersey Basin
Campaign.
"Comments are encouraged to gauge public opinion, inform
decisions and gain new ideas.
"We have come a long way
over the last three years
and are now ready to work on some of the big ideas to protect
this wonderful area and realise its potential as a resource for
the town”.
He
told me: "The
thing that we need to be careful of is that these are aspirational
plans, some of which have had a lot of groundwork already done. None
of these are set in stone at this moment in time and some of them
will have sensitive issues involved to be overcome."
Accompanying the plans is a key which lists ideas of what can be
done in the various areas. I have
selected one or two items is most
areas.
Area
1: Reaseheath College wet grazing land. 2: A500 buffer
zone.
3,
land off Riverbank Close. Proposals include a pedestrian link across
Barony Road. 4: Reaseheath College grazing land.
5,
Henhull landscape buffer zone (an area of private land). There are ideas
- the owners will, of course, decide - for planting areas of
woodland with walks and bridleways; preserving the sight line to
Acton Church and views over the adjacent wetland areas; and
promoting pedestrian links from the Waterlode and Beam Bridge.
6,
Nantwich wetland (north), another area of private land. Ideas are
suggested for creating areas of open water and wet
meadow, as well as promoting "appropriate" access to
areas with bridges, boardwalks and informal pathways.
7,
Nantwich wetland (south), yet another area of private land, accessed from the existing footbridge off
Manor Road. Ideas here for creating areas of open water and wet
meadow, with significant areas of wetland habitat. Access will be as
in Area 6.
Area
8 is designated as "Community Events Space" and is an
area of private land. The idea is that it should be maintained as grazed pasture/wildflower meadow. Access
could
be created from the Waterlode and Nantwich Town F.C. ground. Also,
the area could be used for "occasional, low-impact, seasonal
community events" such as country crafts and kite flying.
James Thompson
stresses: "As with all areas, the suggested ideas are all
aspirations based on what local focus groups want to see".
Area
9 (back to the top of the plan) - Manor Road riverside. It would
have a new footbridge across to Area 4 and be managed as a formal
open space. The lighting will be improved. Safe waterside access points would be created along with
landscape enhancements next to the swimming baths with a viewpoint
across the wetland areas.
Area 10
(unnumbered at the foot of this section of the plan, but see below) is the Snow
Hill Regeneration Area with Area 10a described as an "extra
area" of that regeneration.
In
Area 11, land off Kingsley Village housing development, the plan
would be to extend a multi-user access route along the river bank to
Welsh Row.
Many will recognise Area 12
as Mill Island, site of the Battle of Nantwich re-enactment and
location of the Nantwich Food and Drink Festival. A new bridge and
multi-user access link to Welsh Row, listed in the plan, has already
been created.
The Serpentine Lake (Area 20) looks remarkably like the
silhouette of a cartoon serpent here. Plans for this area include
de-silting the lake, as well as enhancing the waterscape and habitats,
incorporating safe waterside access. A reed bed area created at the
southern end would minimise future silting, says the plan.