Boston Manor Park has secured National Lottery funding of £3,634,600 for Stage 2 of a project.
The funding, awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund, represents nearly three-quarters of total costs for Stage 2 of the “Reconnecting Boston Manor Park” project, which incorporates a new learning space and modernised community café hub, landscaping and extensive refurbishment of the Park focusing on ecological enhancement works, lake and river bank improvements, a new nature trail path, accessibility alterations including a new accessible circuit path and changes to the Park’s amenities, tree planting and the introduction of a wide range of on-site information resources and activities.
Boston Manor Park is home to Boston Manor House, a Grade 1 listed, Jacobean manor house built in 1622. The 11ha public park was part of the Boston Manor estate and now surrounds the House in a combination of woodland and open space, with an area adjoining the Grand Union Canal. Together the Park, River Brent and Grand Union Canal form a unique historic and ecological green space and are designated as a Conservation Area.
The Park was given a development award by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund in 2017 and so Stage 1 of the Project developed the improvement schemes and designs for the facility upgrades, with community input, before an application for Stage 2 funding was made last year.
The National Lottery award means the project can go ahead delivered by the London Borough of Hounslow together with its Boston Manor partners; the Friends of Boston Manor, Spartans FC, the London Wildlife Trust, the Brent River Catchment Partnership, the Canal and River Trust and other local organisations. Stage 2 of the Project consists of a capital investment programme as well as funding for the introduction of an activities programme.
The new facilities will enable the sharing of heritage traditions through storytelling and theatre. An upgraded space under the M4 flyover will host an Arts Market (funded by the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund) and other small-scale events.
The Stage 2 works are expected to start later this year and be complete by 2022.
Councillor Samia Chaudhary, Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure Services at Hounslow Council said: “The Boston Manor Park estate is a fantastic cultural asset for us that is already well used and frequented by our local communities. The completion of Stage 2 of the project will considerably expand opportunities for our diverse communities to get even more out of this cultural gem and to enhance learning and leisure activities for all.”
