Exciting new Visitor Centre to be built at Severn Valley Country Park

Shropshire Council’s Outdoor Partnerships Team are celebrating the results of a successful grant application to the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) under the Marches LEP Tourism Infrastructure priority.

The project will extend and improve the Visitor Centre at Severn Valley Country Park and help strengthen the sites position as a top tourist destination in the Severn Valley.

Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Consultancy based at WWT Slimbridge have been appointed to design and build the new Visitor Centre. The team have experience of designing visitor centres on country parks all around the world.

The new building will feature a much larger interpretation space to tell visitors about the fascinating history and wildlife of Severn Valley Country Park. The café will also be improved and enlarged.

The Visitor Centre at Severn Valley Country Park is set for improvement works

The total cost of the project will be around £411,000, of which £295,839, will be grant-funded. The designs are currently being finalised with construction planned to start in January 2019.

The new facilities should be open by June 2019, ahead of a busy summer of events at the park.

Councillor Lezley Picton Cabinet member for culture and leisure, said:

“Severn Valley Country Park is well-loved by locals and visitors alike. The team at Shropshire Council are working hard to bring the park into a cost-neutral position. The new Visitor Centre will enable the staff and volunteers to deliver more top quality public events and safeguard the future of this wonderful facility.”

Councillor Tina Woodward (member for Alveley and Claverley), said:

“The Visitor Centre opened in 1992 following the closure of Alveley and Highley collieries. With the support of the Rural Development Programme, this project will update the visitor welcome facilities and interpretation to reflect the parks position as a top-class tourist destination and Green Flag award-winning site.”

Councillor Dave Tremellen (member for Highley), said:

“The natural and cultural heritage of Severn Valley Country Park is extremely rich. This is an amazing opportunity to upgrade the visitor centre and create an amazing space in which to share stories of local wildlife and history with visitors of all ages, school children and groups.”

Shropshire Council manages the third largest Rights of Way network in the country; 5,600km, which is the same distance as Shrewsbury to New York as well as around 13,000 ha of publically accessible parks, heritage sites and nature reserves.

For more information about Shropshire’s Great Outdoors, visit the website.