Country park makes a splash with major improvements unveiled

A raft of major improvements are being unveiled at a popular South Devon country park.

Environmental, cultural heritage and community improvements have been carried out at Stover Country Park outside Newton Abbot.

People are being offered the opportunity to be among the first to see the benefits of the Restoring Stover Park Project.

The public launch event on Saturday November 16 (from 9.30am-4.30pm) will celebrate the achievements of the project so far.

Visitors will be able to follow a two-hour trail that takes in all the varied aspects of the Restoring Stover Park Project, including a new community workshop and upgraded visitor centre.

The trail will also explore the conservation work which has been carried out to restore the gatehouse and there will be a chance to learn about the de-silting of Stover Lake.

The Restoring Stover Park Project has been made possible thanks to a grant of £2,084,600 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, together with National Highways, Devon County Council, Devon Remembers, Teignbridge District Council, Bovey Tracey Town Council, Kingsteignton Town Council, and Friends of Stover Park.

In 2019, National Highways’ funding enabled Devon County Council and the Stover Country Park team to deliver a giant reedbed filtration system to help improve water quality and enhance biodiversity and wildlife habitats within the Nature Reserve bordering the A38.

The initial scheme was designed to capture and filter water run-off from the A38, among other pollutants, and this has since brought twofold benefits – not only seeing significant improvements in water quality but also an increase in bird and invertebrate species within the Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Five years on, and further company funding has helped the Stover Park team to deliver the second phase of the environmental and biodiversity work, seeing the de-silting of Stover Lake – an initiative which is hoped to see white water-lilies return to the lake.

The Restoring Stover Park Project has also seen the restoration of the historic Grade II listed gatehouse, a newly built community workshop and an extended and upgraded visitor centre.

The improvements will have longstanding benefits and local communities will be able to see these first hand during the launch event.

Numbers to the public opening event are limited and people have the chance to book a two-hour slot, on a first come, first served basis. Choose from either:
• 9.30am - 11.30am
• 12pm - 2pm
• 2.30pm - 4.30pm

Councillor Andrea Davis, Devon County Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, said: "I'm sure visitors to Stover Country Park will enjoy seeing the improvements that the Restoring Stover Park Project has achieved so far. We're extremely thankful for the support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Highways' Environment and Wellbeing Fund, alongside the County Council's investment, which has helped conserve and enhance both the natural and built heritage of the Country Park.

"The expanded visitor centre, new community workshop and the conservation work carried out on the gatehouse will ensure the Country Park continues to be a popular destination for visitors and the improved water quality at Stover Lake is great news for the environment."

Bookings for two-hour sessions at the launch can be made via Eventbrite. For more information you can visit the park website.