South Ribble Borough Council has launched a new consultation on plans for further improvements to Worden Park and the grounds of Worden Hall.

The proposed works focus on the quality of the infrastructure and landscape around Worden Hall to enable its use as a high-quality event space and considers improved pathways, pedestrian areas and landscaping across other areas of the park.  

It is also proposed to reference the original design of the Park, Hall and Gardens and to make landscaping choices more in fitting with the history of the site and in some spaces, removing modern additions. 

Read more: Worden Hall reopens to the public after £2.8 million investment

Councillor Paul Foster, Leader of South Ribble Borough Council said: “The refurbishment of Worden Hall is an incredible milestone for the borough and already we are seeing the community using the Hall and huge levels of interest to use the Hall for events. 

“Bringing Worden Hall back to life was just the start. Now we are looking to make even more improvements to the landscaping, formal gardens and pedestrian pathways to enhance the offer at Worden Park and to keep the area in fitting with its heritage. 

“We want to give the park and the Hall the care and consideration it needs for it to continue to be one of the best parks in the country to visit.  

“As always, we want our residents and visitors to the park to inform our decision-making process and I encourage everyone to get involved with the consultation.” 

Read more: Plans for 34 new homes in Longton

The proposed plans include: 

• Reducing conflict between vehicles and pedestrians on the route between the main car park and Worden Hall car parks 
• Consideration of lighting along this route – to be able to serve evening events and bookings at the Hall and the Café  
• Providing new path links between key locations on the park such as the main car park, fishpond and playground 
• Providing a pedestrian route to Worden Hall independent from the vehicle route 
• Surface improved on the path running between the Shaw Brook Road and Farmyard Wood entrances  
• Reinstate paths that once ran through the area south of the formal gardens as part of William Andrews Nesfield’s original design for the site 
• Remove modern additions that are not an enhancement of the original design
• Removal of the existing rose garden and reinstate the original grass and specimen trees so that focus can be on the historic formal gardens and the new landscaped areas planted around the refurbished Hall and courtyards

The consultation can be found on the South Ribble website and the deadline for responses is 2 January 2023. 

Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines