Winterbourne Parish Council managed open spaces

Winterbourne Parish Council (WPC) owns and/or manages a number of open spaces from Winterbourne to Frenchay. Here are some of them.

Newleaze

Some years ago WPC bought a field opposite the Winterbourne International Academy’s playing fields. This was planted with 880 small trees and a pond was created to become part of the Forest of Avon . The trees have grown well and have been thinned out to allow the remaining trees to grow unimpeded. Volunteers maintain Newleaze for the WPC.

Monkspool & Bradley Brook

Volunteers organised by Frank Smith manage these nature reserves behind Winterbourne Parish Church.

Winterbourne Recreation Ground

This is managed by the Sports Club for WPC. Football is played in winter and Cricket in summer. There are also tennis courts.

Allotments

WPC has recently bought a field in Winterbourne and converted it to allotments. A solar powered water system has been installed to take water from a nearby stream.

Whiteshill Common, Hambrook

This is managed by Hambrook Sports Club for WPC. Football is played in winter and cricket in summer.

Frome Walkway

WPC acquired some land near to The Dingle to protect it as part of the Frome Valley Walkway.

Tuckett Memorial Field

More commonly known as the Hilly field, this is managed by WPC for the Charity Commission. It is let to a farmer from April to October. The cows graze the field which encourages a variety of wild flowers. The wall and ha-ha are maintained and repaired where necessary. At the bottom of the field, the Tuckett Pond has been renovated by WPC. The retaining walls have been rebuilt, the pond has been dredged and the surrounding area has been planted with appropriate plants and shrubs.

Frenchay Common, the Small Common and land between the Village Hall and Frenchay Hill

WPC pay for the commons to be cut, rubbish bins emptied, litter picked and the ha-has cleaned out. The trees are regularly inspected to be sure that they are safe and new trees are planted to replace trees which have come to the end of their life. WPC maintains the car park leading to the church and the car park opposite The White Lion. In order to preserve the Commons, WPC has kerbed and/or bunded the edges to stop further erosion from the heavy traffic.

Winterbourne Parish Councillors manage most of these assets on a voluntary basis which makes the management cost effective. Projects such as improving the drainage in the Hilly field are overseen by your ward councillors. Because we are local we have day to day knowledge of the open spaces and can act quickly if necessary.