Major improvements coming at GWR Park

New cherry blossom trees and seating among planned improvements at a historic Swindon park.

South Swindon Parish Council, Historic England, the National Trust and Swindon Borough Council have joined together to deliver a programme of improvements at GWR Park.

The green space and former cricket pitch for GWR workers is in Swindon’s historic Railway Village. 

The works are intended to bring the park back to its historic roots as an essential recreation and leisure space for those living nearby, providing somewhere where local people can relax and enjoy flowers, blossoming trees and more of what nature has to offer.

Groundwork for the improvements is expected to start as soon as this month, with most of the work taking place up to April of next year.  

Parish council vice-chair and local resident Cllr Janine Howarth, said: “I am delighted that GWR Park is about to receive so much investment.

"Since the Parish Council started managing the park, we have added new features like the World War One Memorial, the Mother Language Memorial and refurbished the park’s railway themed play area and human sundial. 

"The work programmed over the next six months will elevate investment into the park in a much more significant way, and will restore the park back to its historic roots as an ornamental park. 

"On behalf of the parish council, I would like to thank Historic England and the National Trust for the investment they are making in the park.

"The Parish Council stands ready to maintain all of the new features to the park, using our in-houses services team and qualified gardeners.” 

The planned improvements include: 

- Recreating formal flowerbeds on the eastern side of GWR Park - enhancing the Church Way entrance to the park, adding interest and creating new attractive spaces.

- The planting of a ‘Blossom Circle’ of trees on the footprint of GWR Park’shistoric bandstand. This will include 11 crab apple blossom trees around a new circular path creating a new semi-enclosed space that can be used for relaxation and contemplation, as well as performances and events.

- Six cherry blossom trees will be planted alongside the main entrance path.

-  Seating bays around the perimeter path will be renewed and new ones created, including within the new flowerbeds and Blossom Circle. All existing benches will be replaced with new benches, as well as additional benches added, in a style in keeping with the park’s GWR heritage.

- Park furniture, such as bins, noticeboards and bollards will all be replaced with consistent new furniture in keeping with the park’s heritage. 

- Adding new  [Anchor] interpretation boards to tell the park’s story and its role in Swindon’s Railway Village. 

- A programme of spring and summer activities will be offered to encourage people to visit and enjoy the park, starting with a Blossom Festival at GWR Park in April 2023.

The park is a key project within Swindon’s Heritage Action Zone, through which Historic England are supporting Swindon Borough Council and local organisations such as South Swindon Parish Council to deliver a range of projects aimed at revitalising the wider Railway Village.  

This project also benefits from additional funding from the National Trust through its Blossom programme. The total investment into GWR Park from Historic England and the National Trust will be approximately £126,000.

Cllr Matty Courtliff, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Heritage, Leisure and Town Centre Experience, said: “This project will play a big part in the success of the Heritage Action Zone and I’m delighted to see it get underway after many months of close collaboration between South Swindon Parish Council, Swindon Borough Council officers, Historic England and the National Trust.

“I hope the improvements to this much loved town green space will appeal to anyone who lives, works or visits our town centre.

“I can’t wait to see it all finished and I look forward to see all the new flowers in bloom next year."

Sophie Wardell, Programme Manager at the National Trust, said: “With our headquarters based in Swindon, we were looking for a way to bring our desire to bring the joy of blossom to more towns and cities across the country to benefit both people and wildlife.

“The Swindon project is our sixth town/city centre project since we opened our first site in East London in 2021. We want to create a space where people can linger to enjoy the fleeting spring spectacle of blossom, but to also have somewhere to sit and take time out to enjoy nature all year round.  

"Planting the blossoming cherry trees on the footprint of GWR’s historic bandstand, in a green space that was so vital to supporting the health and wellbeing of GWR railway workers, feels like a great way to celebrate the essential role nature plays in nurturing communities into the present day."

Rebecca Barrett, Regional Director at Historic England, said: “We know how important GWR Park is to people who live and work nearby. It’s great that work is all set to start to improve this historic green space, and we’re delighted to be able to support it through the Swindon Heritage Action Zone.”