© 2014-2017 Borough of Poole Environmental Development Team, Unit 1 Newfields Business Park, 2 Stinsford Road, Poole BH17 0NF. All rights reserved.
Parks & Open Spaces Please subscribe below to receive our newsletter:
North Road Playing Field & linked open spaces Parkstone
The Bournemouth & Poole College Community Garden
Updated: 2nd April 2014
North Road Playing Field improvement proposals Oct 2012 (PDF, 100kb)
Constitution Hill & Parkstone Heights proposals Sept 2012 (PDF, 220kb)
North Road Playing Field (Nov 2011)
Project details
Budget: £60,000 at North Road; a further £60,000 for improvements to the linked sites at Constitution Hill Viewpoint & Parkstone Heights
Funding: Planning Obligations - Casual Play & Amenity Open Space (Parkstone ward)
Lead Officer Martin Whitchurch • 01202 261700 • Email: environment@poole.gov.uk
March 2014: Tree planting and poppy seed sowing by volunteers
March 2014: Constitution Hill, hand-made steps using recycled materials
January 2014: new signage and the access ramp
29th November: control boards at the pond and the new bench
29th October: local volunteers sowing wildflower seeds
1st October: new drainage works
15th August: work starts on the new access ramp
In other work up the hill from the playing field:
A range of work took place in early 2014:
Through the woods at Constitution Hill and Parkstone Heights contractors cleared areas of Rhododendron and Laurel, creating open sightlines and views as well as improving the quality of the woods [ why remove Laurel & Rhododendron? ]
A new entrance has been created from Cotes Avenue in to Constitution Hill woodland. The old entrance had steep steps and large protruding roots. A new entrance improves accessibility for pedestrians and maintenance vehicles. A new gravel track now extends towards the steps that lead to the viewpoint, which themselves have been upgraded - the old timber steps and hand rails had become very overgrown and the timbers were rotting. A more sustainable solution has been used, with recycled composite materials that will provide a longer lifespan than preservative treated timber
A new bench has been installed on the viewpoint within Parkstone Heights:
Pond & Streams overview
(PDF, 725kb)
Pond & Streams technical layout
(PDF, 600kb)
October 2013: The new pond under development as part of the drainage works
The capital works at North Road playing field are complete. We have adapted the old playing field for public use as an open space, including:
- Building a ramped access and a set of steps
- Creating water meadows and a large pond
- Improving the condition of the existing ditches, easing future maintenance
- Installing benches, site signs and a bin
- Retaining a large area beyond the pond as a safe area for wildlife
Community Involvement at North Road
There have been two volunteer tasks at North Road playing field as well as other local groups helping on the field.
On Tuesday 29th October 2013 around 12 local people came along to help sow wildflower seeds, cut back invasive Willow and saplings and do a lot of raking and smoothing over of mounds - all of which helps improve the look of the field.
On Wednesday 19th March 2014 we planted a range of fruit trees and native hedgerow, and sowed poppy seeds as well as doing a bit of a tidy up.
Thanks to everyone who helped make a difference!
If you would like to Get Involved in the future we may be setting up a site user group, so please get in touch with Martin Whitchurch:
Tel 01202 261700 or
Email: environment@poole.gov.uk
The previously unused playing field on North Road, Parkstone is owned by The Bournemouth and Poole College. The Council has agreed a lease for the land in order that it can be used as public open space.
The Project
Poole’s newest open space is accessible via new steps on North Road and a ramped access for maintenance vehicles and pedestrians.
New drainage features have also been created with the aim of:
- taking the water flow away from the wall with adjoining private properties at the rear of Cotes Avenue
- creating a water-meadow style habitat that will remain boggy and wet in the northwest corner of the site, and
- providing mounds and a pond to increase the viewing areas and add interest to the playing field.
The main area of meadow should also become drier as a result of these works.
Improvements will be managed by Poole's Greenspace Maintenance team through existing revenue budgets.
The land is leased from The Bournemouth and Poole College; the College has stipulated in the lease that the site is to be called 'The Bournemouth & Poole College Community Garden'.
Click the image to open an aerial overview of the linked open spaces
The new bench at Parkstone Heights viewpoint
Facebook group
Local resident Jim Gardner has set up a Facebook Group celebrating the field’s wildlife and habitat value, why not join up?