Improving Telford Town Park's facilities and links to Ironbridge Gorge among new recommendations

Continuing to develop the Silkin Way walking/cycling route and improving links to the Ironbridge Gorge are also included in the document being discussed by councillors today.

The Telford Town Park Strategic Framework 2023 to 2032 was produced in September and has a key list of recommendations.

Visitor facilities, including toilet provision, are described as ‘insufficient to cope with peak demand’ in the framework and a lack of toilets on the southern side of the park is also highlighted.

Insufficient shelter is another area for improvement. The document says that the current provision ‘means that the park is not necessarily an all-weather attraction and there is scope to extend the use of the park at off-peak times’.

The framework states that there is also scope to develop adventurous activities which could include more water-based activities.

One of the document's ‘strategic recommendations’ is to ‘explore with commercial partners the opportunities for new adventurous activity’.

Another recommendation is to enhance the food and beverage offer and ‘explore options for café provision’.

Also highlighted is an improved country park element through the creation of additional ‘focal points’ and sculptures.

The development of the Silkin Way as a long-distance route for walking, cycling and horse riding, with better links to the Ironbridge Gorge, is also highlighted.

The framework also states that further investment in the park’s amphitheatre ‘could provide an opportunity for more performing arts events which could be complemented by an extended programme at the arena’.

Average expenditure in the park is in the region of £650,000 annually and average income over the last five years is £332,000 annually.

The main sources of income is from leases (40 per cent), a Public Health grant (32 per cent), car parking charges (13 per cent) and events (7 per cent).

“An approach to investing and developing new visitor facilities has improved the visitor offer and also generated income to offset the overall running costs,” sates the framework document.

“For every two pounds of expenditure, one pound is generated in income, a significant achievement.”

A recommendation in the framework document has also identified another revenue stream from housing developers who wish to build in the borough.

It states: “Consideration should be given to establish a policy to support a proportion of all developer contributions being ring-fenced for investment in Telford Town Park."

The framework document was produced by Telford & Wrekin Council after over 2,900 residents were consulted on changes they would like to see in the area.

Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet were set to discuss the framework document at their meeting on Thursday.

A cabinet report states that the park attracts 700,000 visitors per year and is a ‘significant contributor’ to Telford and Wrekin's visitor economy.

A quarter of respondents to a visitor survey reported visiting the park at least once every month.

Visitor observational surveys, used to identify spatial usage of the park, identify that the areas to the north of the Town Park (including play areas) accounted for 70 per cent of visits compared to 30 per cent to the southern areas.

“Key opportunities identified within the Strategic Framework include encouraging year-round usage of the park and encouraging usage of areas other than the formal play areas,” the report states.

“The northern areas of the Town Park including the play areas, Visitor Centre and QEII Arena tend to attract younger users, families and groups using the facilities for play and for social and family activities. The southern parts of the park attract a higher number of older visitors, typically individuals or smaller groups including cyclists and dog walkers.”

The report added that online visitor surveys showed ‘high levels’ of satisfaction in respect of the Town Park infrastructure including the footpaths, gateways, woodlands and nature reserve, gardens and Visitor Centre.

Visitor satisfaction levels ‘were lowest’ in respect to the capacity of toilet facilities within the Visitor Centre and lack of toilet facilities elsewhere within the Town Park.

“Satisfaction levels with catering provision was also lower than with the other facilities although satisfaction levels have increased significantly compared with the 2014 survey,” added the report.