")">The Meadows
The Meadows Rejuvenation Project
The Meadows is the last surviving part of a historic meadow and a green lung within the town of Wirksworth. When the site was put up for sale in 2019, residents felt so strongly about its preservation that a public campaign was launched. Administrated by Wirksworth Town Council, in excess of £40,000 was raised within six weeks. These community funds, alongside the Council’s reserves, enabled participation in a sealed bid process which was ultimately successful.
Following the purchase, the Council arranged the first of three public consultations to collect residents’ views on how they would like to see the area develop. The overwhelming response was to improve biodiversity, to create wildflower meadow and to improve access via upgraded paths and seating. The second consultation dug down into these themes and using the resulting information the designers were able to create a draft scheme. This design was the subject of the final consultation and formed the basis of the final design. The consultations included face to face events at the weekly and monthly town markets, paper surveys (posted to nearby residents and available in shops and public buildings throughout the town), online surveys, articles in local publications and on this website.
The Meadows project now aims to enrich this landscape for both local residents and wildlife. The site is an oasis between housing and the town centre; a spot where older residents pause to rest on their walk into town, and a route taken by families to avoid the historically narrow pavements of the main roads. The site is made up of a variety of terrain, with scrubland, grassland and woodland areas. However, it has been neglected for over 20 years, in which time it has not been mown, coppiced or maintained other than in order to retain the PRoWs. An independent ecological assessment was carried out and found the site to be species-poor, dominated by vigorous competitive grass species and lacking in flowers due to the lack of management. The proposed design will see the site rejuvenated; where necessary rotavated, improved and re-seeded, with appropriate planting. It is the central aim to reinstate large areas of wildflower meadow, and small indigenous trees will be scattered through the scheme. Alongside the meadows other improvements will include:
-Upgrading the main paths, making them wider and accessible.
-Creating a new pathway from the south-eastern corner to allow easier access.
-A mown community space.
-Improving the eastern woodland path.
-Creating shallow SuD basins to improve drainage and encourage wildlife.
-Enhancing the scrubland to the west to encourage more flora and fauna.
-Providing (accessible) seating and picnic tables to allow residents to dwell.
-Long-term, inclusion of natural play areas to engage young residents in the wild setting. The equipment, such as stepping stones, tunnels and natural climbing opportunities, will complement rather than be conspicuous within the landscape.
An ongoing maintenance plan has been a consideration since the beginning of the project; a budget has been allocated and the site will be added to the Town Council maintenance programme. It is planned to create a volunteer group to take forward maintenance, supported financially by the council. A precedent has already been set for this structure at our woodland site, Stoney Wood, where a similar arrangement has worked successfully for over 10 years. Residents interested in being added to the list of potential volunteers should email enquiries@wirksworth.gov.uk with their contact details and ‘Meadows Volunteer’ in the subject bar.
In summary, the Town Council aim to restore and enhance biodiversity and habitats in this historic meadow, whilst simultaneously improving access and wellbeing for residents of our town.
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