Tel: 01296 383 812

The ‘Greening the Vale’ project was a series of smaller projects led by Aylesbury Vale District Council’s green spaces team. All the projects were completed between 2006 and 2008 as a result of receiving £1.015 million of Growth Area Funds from (the dept. of) Communities and Local Government. The result? Significantly enhanced open green spaces within the Vale, which has helped to improve the quality of life for both local residents and the community in general.

Vale Park & other improvements
Today Aylesbury’s Vale Park is the subject of a structured ‘master plan’ that sets out a three phased sequence of improvements to this important ‘green space’.

• The first phase to replace the children’s play area was funded by part of a GAF grant of £480,000 and was completed in March 2006
• Phase two, completed March 2007, focuses on sport and teenage play provision including a multi-use games area and new bowls green. This was funded by part of a GAF grant of £1.015 million
• Phase three will deliver improvements in keeping with Thomas Mawson’s original design of the rose garden, shrub beds, and footpaths. Other improvements will include a contemporary garden, an increase in grassed areas and tree planting, improving access to the Bear Brook, a new entrance linking the park to the town, and lighting.
• The official opening of the Vale Park sports area took place on the 24th March 2007.

Multi-use games areas
Local community consultation and national policy had identified a need to offer more opportunities and facilities to encourage young people (particularly 13-19 yr olds, girls and ethnic minority groups) to take more physical activity and develop a healthier lifestyle.

The result so far has been the introduction of teenage play equipment and multi-use games areas at Quarrendon, Meadowcroft, Vale park, and at the Coppice. All provided via Communities & Local Government Growth Action Funds.

Trees & Flowers
A very visible element to ‘Greening the Vale’ has been a number of initiatives to improve the local environment, benefit wildlife and increase bio-diversity through the planting of trees and plants. Already over 2000 bulbs have been planted in open spaces, with the assistance of local community groups, as in the image of brownies planting bulbs along one of Aylesbury’s arterial roads.

Efforts to increase indigenous tree planting have been channelled through three major campaigns under the ‘Trees Please’ banner:

• Oaks in the Landscape – 1000 new trees planted in local parishes and the creation of an Oak Arboretum at Whitehall Park– featuring oak species from around the world.
• Beech Green & Elm Green – plantings of rare and unusual Beech and Elm trees.
• Black Popular Project – a partnership project with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BCTV) to create a ‘Black Popular’ Woodland with associated education activities supported by the Greensand Trust.

For more information please contact: Lesley Davies, Green Spaces Manager, Leisure & Cultural Services, AVDC. 01296 585721 ldavies@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk

History of Vale Park
The first plans for Vale Park, Aylesbury were drawn by Thomas Hayton Mawson (1861 – 1933) though his son Edward finally completed the design. Thomas Mawson was described as ‘the leading landscape architect of the Edwardian era’. His work ranged from landscaped garden plans through to much larger projects such as civic parks. In 1932 Edward Mawson’s final design for Vale Park was deemed to costly by the Borough Council and consequently the scheme was reworked by the Borough engineer. This combined with ad hoc changes has produced the Park most residents have become familiar with over the intervening 75 years.