Story by Neill Schofield Photo by John Scholey
“What’s happening on the closed Parkwood Springs Landfill site?” asked members of Friends of Parkwood Springs when they toured the site with manager Tom Franklin, on 7th April.
Tipped rubbish is being sealed in a thick plastic membrane, and then covered with building rubbish and other inert materials to a depth of 1-1.5 metres, depending on what in future will be planted. Quite a lot of planting has already taken place, but there is still a lot to do and planning permission turning the site into a city park.
Amazing views from the top of the site over to the Peak District moors prompted people to ask when the public would be able to walk freely over the site. Although a small area could be opened up in about 18 months, most of it will almost certainly have no public access for many years.
The position should be clearer when the terms of the planning permission have been decided. Safe access to the site is one of the issues that the Friends of Parkwood Springs are pressing for in the planning permission.
The Friends Group will try to arrange another tour if there is interest. Please contact them at parkwood.springs@ gmail.com or on 07771 564 883.