Neighbourhoods and Culture Overview and Scrutiny
Committee:
21 st September 2006
1.0 Matter for consideration
1.1 The Committee are asked to consider the latest position with regards to the Stanley
Park Restoration Project.
2.0 Recommendation(s)
2.1 To consider and approve the Stanley Park Restoration Project update report.
3.0 Summary of key issues
3.1 The Council successfully submitted a detailed Stage 2 bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund
(HLF) to restore Stanley Park under the Urban Parks programme in 2004, and gained approval to commission the capital works in 2005. The value of the bid amounts to
£5.1m in total and will enable the Council to fundamentally restore and preserve
Stanley Park, which is Grade II listed and of Regional and National importance, for future generations.
3.2 Following approval from the HLF to proceed, the Council then appointed a main contractor, Casey PLC and the consultant Scott Wilson through the Counc il’s procurement procedure. They now are key members of the Stanley Park Heritage
Lottery Project Delivery Team, which also includes a project manager, client representatives, members of Stanley Park Friends Group, English Heritage and the
HLF monitoring officers designated for the project.
3.3 The project delivery team have programmed the two-year restoration works into four work packages of six-month duration and two further work packages that include a building restoration and an independent work package. The team agreed that due to the specialist nature of the building restoration works, it was preferable to segregate this from the main packages and deal with it as a separate item. This was also to ensure that the contractors performing the works had the necessary expertise to satisfy the quality standards stipulated by the HLF monitors. The other independent work package includes works that do not fit into specific regions in the park, such as tree surgery, park furniture, signage, CCTV camera installation and main arterial pathway renovation. These works will be completed at the most appropriate time throughout the two-year project delivery timetable, which shows overall completion in
November 2007.
3.4 The four six-monthly work packages were formulated to minimise disruption for members of the public visiting and concessionaires with businesses in and adjacent to the park. Consideration has also been given to plan certain restoration works when weather conditions are ideal, to ensure high quality and long lasting results.
3.5 Work package one, which covers the Italian Gardens and Café Terrace area is due for completion in October this year and will see the central and possible most iconic landscape feature in Stanley Park restored. The infrastructure of this area of the park,

which includes drains, paths, balustrade walling, trellises and collandes has been cleaned, repaired and in some cases replaced. The central fountain will be completely repaired, cleaned and in full working order. The soft landscape features will also be restored, with peripheral herbaceous and rose planting returned to the front of the colonnade trellises and the annual bedding areas re-defined to reflect the original design layout.
3.6 Work package two is also progressing well, with the physical works due for completion in 2007. This package includes the Rose Garden, Remembrance Garden, Lake
Terraces and edges and three secondary entrances to the park. Currently, the infrastructure works to the footpaths and drainage is approximately 50 per cent completed, with the soft works (rose planting and grass turfing and seeding) scheduled to start this autumn. By spring 2006, Stanley Park will have a Rose Garden once again, themed on the history of the development of garden roses, with the pond fountains restored and for the first time disabled access to the base of the gardens.
3.7 Work package three is currently in the design and tendering stage and due to start in
October 2006 for completion in May 2007. Works include the ref urbishment of the ‘Top
Yard’ Car Park, Mawson Drive, Lake Bridges and Public Conservatories. The Building package, which includes Stanley Park Café, Tennis Pavilion, Cocker Tower and the
Bandstand and Amphitheatre, is currently out to tender, which are scheduled for return this month. This winter period will see a significant amount of work taking place in the park, with work packages two, three and the building works taking place for completion by May 2007.
3.8 A number of activities in support of the parks restoration have taken place this year.
Strong partnerships have been developed with Myerscough College and the Council’s
Social Services section, in the development and establishment of an Education and
Plant Sales Centre within the obsolete greenhouses in the park. The successful establishment of ‘Stanley Park Plant World’ has provided new recreational opportunities for visitors to the park. There are also a number of activities planned to maximise the educational potential of the park by further utilising the new education facility, to provide training for schools, members of the public, volunteers and the Parks own workforce, who will be provided with the skills needed to maintain an enhance park.
3.9. Improving safety and security within the park has been a key focus of the service and progress has been made through the establishment and development of a partnership with the Police, and through the implementation of the Stanley Park Security Strategy.
The Police’s management of the security service in the park has seen a reduction in serious anti-social behaviour and criminal damage over the last 12 months, and this summer’s launch of the Stanley Park ‘Good User Guide’ seeks to build on this improving situation by encouraging general good behaviour in the park. Its key aim is to encourage people to respect the park, each other and the wildlife that lives in the park.
4.0 Witnesses / representatives
4.1 As requested by the Committee members, the following persons have been invited to attend the meeting to speak on the matter:
 Mark Scrivens, Head of Parks and Green Environment

Relevant officer:
Paul Walker, Director of Leisure, Culture and Community Learning
Tel: (01253) 478600, e-mail: Dirlccl@blackpool.gov.uk
Appendices attached:
None
Background papers:
None
Websites and e-mail links for further information:
None
Glossary:
HLF
– Heritage Lottery Fund