Tarmac has officially opened new visitor facilities and a car park at Panshanger Park, marking another step forward in the ongoing transformation of the site.
The opening event, held on Saturday 11 October, brought together partners from Hertfordshire County Council, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, Hertingfordbury Parish Council, Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, Maydencroft and parkrun, with Cllr Ken Crofton performing the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The day began with 379 runners taking part in the weekly Panshanger parkrun, which coincided with the event’s 11th anniversary. To celebrate, Tarmac provided cakes and refreshments for participants before the official proceedings began.
Throughout the day, visitors enjoyed tractor rides, face painting and a special heritage explorer trail designed for families. Children collected stickers and completed activities at key points across the park, while more than 1,000 people took part in the day’s activities. The tractor rides proved especially popular, running continuously for more than five hours.
Michael Charlton, Estates Manager at Tarmac, said: “The opening of the new car park marks a significant milestone in the transformation of the park over the past decade. What was once an active quarry has been carefully restored into a beautiful, publicly accessible parkland that is now enjoyed by countless visitors every day. We hope these new facilities will enhance accessibility and allow even more people to experience and appreciate what makes the park so special. I am so grateful for the incredible efforts of our park team and volunteers who worked so hard getting everything ready for the big day and ensuring it was such a success.”
Louise Smith, Regional Ambassador for parkrun, added: “Panshanger parkrun celebrated our 11th birthday on the day of the car park opening and the addition of this facility, as well as a drinks van, seating and loos is greatly appreciated by our community. Since 2014, more than 17,000 people have completed this weekly free 5k course all made possible by 1,250 volunteers. We are enormously grateful to Tarmac for their on-going support. Here’s to the next 11 years!”
County Councillor, Ken Crofton from Hertfordshire County Council, said: “I have had the pleasure of being the Chairman of the Panshanger liaison committee for the last 12 years. During this time, we have seen the restoration of this 200-year-old Grade 11 * Humphry Repton Park being returned to its former glory. This is a great tribute to Michael Charlton, HMWT, the volunteers and the Directors of Tarmac who have made the park accessible to so many community groups to enjoy its beauty and tranquillity.”
Tim Hill, Conservation Manager at Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, said: “With its rich diversity of habitats including the River Mimram, lakes, grasslands and ancient trees, Panshanger Park is very much Hertfordshire in microcosm. The Park provides wonderful opportunities for people to experience and enjoy the animals which depend on that diversity, including Water Voles, Brown Trout, dragonflies and spectacular birds like Buzzards and Red Kites.”
The new car park and visitor facilities is located on the west side of the park (postcode SG14 2TS, What3Words: cult.term.bake) and is open for entry between 8am and 5pm. For more details visit https://panshangerpark.tarmac.com/your-visit/
