Tarmac is reminding visitors to the country park at Panshanger that areas are still active and await restoration and therefore not safe for the public to access.
This comes after a statement was released on the Friends of Panshanger Park’s website. It declared that from 1st January 2018 mineral extraction finished on the estate, meaning the park is now fully open for public access.
The statement issued by the Friends of Panshanger Park is both misleading and irresponsible. Ongoing work is still taking place within areas of Panshanger involving heavy machinery and therefore these are not yet accessible to the public due to health and safety reasons.
Estates Manager Mike Pendock explains: “The original Country Park Scheme drawn up for Panshanger in 1982 made clear that the park was in private ownership and that the main objective was to enable the public to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the park through a series of waymarked paths and specific areas where there would be more general open access.
“It is not the case that the public has a right to roam unrestricted over all areas of the country park and nature reserve. Fences and gates are there for the public’s protection and to reflect the fact that the park is still managed for agricultural activities, wildlife and forestry. The statement on the Friends of Panshanger Park’s website is irresponsible as it could put people at risk if they believe they can freely access areas such as old silt lagoons and the quarry lake nearby.”
The park first opened in March 2014 and since then over 100,000 visitors have enjoyed the park’s beautiful landscape. Visitors to the park can already enjoy 25kms of trails and further areas of the park will be opened when safe to do so.
Visitors are asked to continue to follow the clear signage around Panshanger Park explaining which areas they can enjoy freely.
