Improvements to Longford Nature Park in Coventry are underway, aiming to enhance both public access and local wildlife habitats. The Coventry City Council has classified the reserve as a site of significant importance for the city’s biodiversity.
Planned upgrades include the installation of a new boardwalk to navigate muddy sections of the park, ongoing litter collection, and the creation of shallow wetland environments to support local fauna.
The project is financed through Section 106 agreements, where developers contribute funds to councils as part of major construction projects in the vicinity. The work will be carried out by the council’s urban ranger team in collaboration with volunteers from the Friends of Longford Park.
Councillor Patricia Hetherton emphasized the dual benefit of the project. She noted that the enhancements would help protect existing biodiversity while making the area more accessible for visitors. “Green spaces like Longford Park play an important role in supporting our health and wellbeing,” she stated.
Located opposite the larger Longford Park, the nature reserve serves as a public thoroughfare connecting the Coventry Building Society Arena and the Coventry Canal. Council officials Alexander Jones and Georgina Flower, alongside Councillor Hetherton, will oversee the delivery of these environmental improvements.
Good to see developer money actually used for nature. I wonder if the wetlands will attract more dragons too?
Finally! That boardwalk is long overdue. The muddy patches have been a nightmare for years.