Lottery Funding Granted

Cedars Park to be given a new lease of life thanks to £1.9m Lottery investment

On 12 October 2011, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) awarded confirmed funding of £1,897,700 for the restoration of Cedars Park in Broxbourne.

Alongside restoring many of the important historic elements within the park, the planned project will create new opportunities for more people from across the community to get involved with and enjoy Cedars Park.

Steeped in history, this magnificent park was once the site of Theobalds Palace and a favoured residence of James I. Queen Elizabeth I also visited Theobalds many times during her reign. The remains of Theobalds Palace are now a Scheduled Ancient Monument and will be fully conserved as part of this restoration.

The project will also uncover more of the important history of the site, showcasing this alongside the existing historical features through new interpretation and displays. Pathways through the park will also be replaced, opening up the archaeology of the palace and historic grounds as well as improving access for wheelchairs, buggies and less able people.

Work will be carried out to create a new café in existing buildings which will also provide an education and community meeting room for use by visitors. Local volunteers will be given the opportunity to become directly involved in the project works including the creation of new play features, clearance works and leading historic walks and events.

Robyn Llewellyn, head of HLF East of England, said:

“We at the Heritage Lottery Fund are pleased to be able to support this project to restore Cedars Park. As the site of Theobalds Palace, this park has significant historical importance, whilst at the same time providing much loved local green space that is enjoyed by people from across the local community. With our support, the team at Broxbourne will be able to ensure that Cedars Park can be enjoyed by visitors for many generations to come.”

Broxbourne Council's Portfolio Holder for Direct Services, Councillor Mrs Hazel Jackson commented:

“Cedars Park has played an important role in the history of the local area. There are so many ways in which residents will benefit from the Lottery grant and we can look forward to an exciting future with new and improved facilities and a greater understanding of the past.”

Cedars Park was given to the Borough of Broxbourne in 1919 and today offers woodland walks, formal gardens and pond, pets' corner and a conservation area.

In 2002, the Borough of Broxbourne commissioned new entrance gates into Cedars Park from Theobalds Lane to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee. The gates contain a time line of bronze roundels depicting historical events at Cedars Park. The Council has put forward the Park for consideration as a ‘Queen Elizabeth II Field’ to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympics. Further information on the Queen Elizabeth II Fields challenge can be found on the Fields in Trust website.

Further information

• Today’s second round pass awards are from the Parks for People programme which has a two stage or two round application process. The full grant has now been awarded following a successful second round application from the park.

• The Parks for People programme uses Lottery funds to support the regeneration, conservation and increased enjoyment of public parks. The programme aims to improve the local environment and put parks firmly back at the heart of community life. In England the two Lottery Funds have been working in partnership from 2006 to deliver a multi-million pound investment in public parks of £150m. Over the period 2006-2009, the BIG invested up to £80m (in England only) with £70m coming from the HLF for the UK.

• HLF is continuing to fund public park projects in 2011/12 with an investment of £20m each year. The next closing date for applications is 31 August 2011. See the HLF website for details. The BIG remains committed to working in partnership with the HLF in making a success of the Parks for People programme and will allocate £5m in 2011/12 and another £5m in 2012/13.

• Using money raised through the National Lottery, the HLF sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. The HLF has supported over 30,000 projects, allocating £4.6b across the UK. Further details can be found on the website.