Sandbach Park

Phase one Sandbach Partnership commissioned Ryder Landscape Consultants Ltd to produce a Concept Design for Sandbach Park. The designs were based on the views expressed by park users and residents through extensive consultation exercise, the final feedback from this consultation enabled Ryder to finalise proposals and cost the master plans. The final design included some exciting proposals relating to children’s play, youth facilities, adult recreation, environmental improvements, and visitor and event infrastructure.

At Sandbach Today event the partnership launched a Friends of Sandbach Park Group, the public were invited to express a show of interest in forming a group. From that response, an exploratory meeting was held on 5th November.

The group was launched and today it is recognised as the best park friends group in Cheshire East.

Work has commenced on the Multi Use Games Area and the Green Gym and both areas were completed early in April 2012.

The MUGA provides facilities for 5-a-side Football, Netball, Tennis and Rounder’s and the remaining Tennis Court will undergo a complete refurbishment.

The Green Gym provides adults with a free opportunity to get fit and active in the park and there will also be a new picnic area adjacent to the new facilities.

The aim of this project was to revitalise the whole of the Pond area to improve the habitat for existing and new species, increase public awareness of this area of the Park and improve accessibility for all.

Additional pond levels were introduced with a new boardwalk, which allows pond dipping enabling the Pond to be used as an educational resource especially for local schools.

The pond area and boardwalk were completed in March 2014, the boardwalk is completely accessible for all.

In 2015 with funding from Sandbach Town Council an outdoor table tennis table was installed and a Boules pitch. The U3A hold regular sessions on Friday mornings and the facilities are regulars in use by all age groups.

The Telephone kiosk was removed from Platt Ave in April 2016 as part of the BT adopt a kiosk scheme, the Partnership got involved as a direct response to pubic requests to save the kiosk.

The kiosk, a K6 designed by designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the coronation of King George V in 1935, has under gone a total refurbishment starting with a complete sandblast to remove all the old paintwork. CEC Care4force who support individuals to get back to work, restored it to its former glory using an authentic paint and glaze kit purchased by the Partnership from a specialist company.

The refurbish kiosk was then installed in Sandbach Park in Spring 2017, a public consultation was held over the summer to get ideas on what the public would like the kiosk to be used for, ideas that are feasible are:

• Library – book swap. The option here is to provide a box with a “take one and bring on “sign, a few books to start and see how it evolves.
• Information Point -Local Events and group advertisements.
• Borrow an umbrella – Invest in a few brightly coloured umbrellas with Sandbach park printed on, then see if the scheme works.
• Map of Sandbach park

Defibulator -This has been suggested by several people, However, since the consultation Cheshire fire Authority have install one outside the Fire Station adjacent to the Kiosk.

The next steps were to refurbish the inside, and this was completed in Spring 2019 with the help of local volunteers.

Sandbach Partnership has continued to work with ANSA and Cheshire East Council to develop an extensive Management Plan, we are pleased to announce that Sandbach Park was awarded Green flag status in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.