PALMER PARK - CAR PARKING AND LANDSCAPING IMPROVEMENTS

Got this through from the Council:
Works to improve the car parking and landscaping at Palmer Park are due to commence during the week beginning 11th October 2010.


This is the last phase of the works to upgrade the play area and surrounding landscape. It also provides parking for the new gym.

In anticipation of these works, new trees were planted last year, and any that failed to establish, will be replaced this winter. In addition, improvements were made to the area of park next to the London Road, principally replacing fencing around the old Adventure Play Area.

Now that most of the new and replacement trees and other landscaping are in place, we will be removing the shrubbery and small trees between the stadium and car park that were previously identified for removal. Once the new car parking area is in place, and the then redundant space removed, we shall be able to accommodate more cars, but we will have also increased the amount of green space in the park.

The material chosen for the car park surface is a porous asphalt, which allows rain to flow through the surface, helping to reduce the risk of flooding and following best practice.

In order to keep disruption to users to a minimum, the work is being carried out in 3 separate phases.

Phase 1: Approach to stadium and new stadium car park

· The car parking area next to the sports stadium is being improved and extended to accommodate just under 200 vehicles.
· New parking will be created in front of the stadium and will include 5 designated disabled parking bays.
· New post and rail fencing will be installed in areas separating car parking from parkland.
· Yellow lines will be painted along the driveway to the stadium to prevent its being narrowed or blocked by parked vehicles.
· Passing places will be created along the driveway to the stadium to allow recycling vehicles easy access to the relocated recycling banks.
· Two zebra crossings and one raised table are to be installed where pedestrian and cycle routes cross the driveway to the stadium.

Phase 2: Statue Area

· An area which is currently tarmac, will be returned to parkland around the statue of George Palmer to allow for a safer junction of pedestrian routes at this point, and a landscape feature at the centre of the park.
· New post and rail fencing will be installed to prevent encroachment by cars onto pedestrian routes.
· White lines are to be repainted onto the existing tarmac parking area to mark out all the car parking spaces.

Phase 3: Wokingham Road car park area (next to St. Bartholomews Road)

· The car park accessed from Wokingham Road is to be removed and returned to parkland, leaving 3 disabled parking bays and a path link to the existing network of paths.
· The recycling area is to be relocated next to the sports stadium.
· New post and rail fencing will be installed to prevent encroachment by cars onto pedestrian routes and into the park.

We anticipate that the work will be completed in approximately 8 weeks and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Letters containing this information will be sent to local residents on Tuesday 4th October