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New ideas sought for
Croxteth Hall & Park
AN initiative is getting under way to
secure the future of one of Liverpool's major heritage assets and green spaces.
Organisations are being asked for their views and suggestions on how services
could be developed at Croxteth Hall and Country Park. In particular the council
is looking to hear from organisations which could deliver new activities which
can bring income into the park.
Councillor Steve Munby, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said:- "This is
an engagement exercise with both the private sector and the third sector; community organisations, social enterprises and so on as we have to find new
ways of doing things in light of our financial position.
We have had our budget cut by 58% and the situation is likely to get worse.
Currently, after taking into account income raised there, we have to find £1.2m
a year to run Croxteth Hall and Park. Quite bluntly this situation cannot go on.
We want to see what ideas are out there from people who are prepared to invest
in this facility and attract more visitors to it. We don't want to be
prescriptive but it could involve, for example, finding new uses for the
existing buildings, having new sports provision or leisure facilities.
There is a huge potential for Croxteth to be a much bigger tourist attraction
than it is at present and we will be looking for ways to develop that as well as
making it more attractive to local people. What I want to emphasise is that this
is a public asset and it will remain so. This is emphatically not privatisation
by the back door. The parallel I would draw is that the national parks,
introduced by the Attlee government, have seen income generating activities
added over the years and nobody can say they have been privatised. Our aim is
that eventually it becomes financially self-sustaining and we are looking
forward to hearing some innovative and thought-provoking ideas on how to achieve
that."
Councillor Peter Mitchell, Mayoral Lead for Parks and Open Spaces and Croxteth
ward councillor, said:- "Croxteth Hall and the Country Park are highly
valued by local people as a green space for relaxing, an important place for
wildlife or for the events which take place there. But it has a lot of untapped
potential and we need to exploit that so its future as a public asset is
safeguarded. We need investment which makes the best use of this magnificent
facility for both local people and visitors. I am confident that there are
organisations who can come up with exciting proposals and work in partnership
with the council to make the Hall and Park financially viable and more
attractive."
A number of sessions will be held at Croxteth Hall for interested organisations
to give them a better understanding of what is required to achieve the vision
for Hall and Park.
Fact File...
► Croxteth Hall is a Grade II*
listed building, parts of which date back to 1575, but, with rebuilding, is in
effect an Edwardian mansion.
► It was the ancestral home of the Earls of
Sefton until the death of the final Earl in 1972.
► It was then operated by Merseyside County
Council with the City Council taking over its running in 1989
► As well as the Hall other attractions include
Croxteth Home Farm and a Victorian Walled Garden
► At 500 acres the country park is the largest
park in the City and a registered historic park. |
