Where are we now?
The quality of visitor facilities is key to the success of
the Park as a destination. The Regional Park’s visitor
facilities will be in competition with a wide range of
facilities on offer across the whole of London, Essex
and Hertfordshire.
The current quality and range of provision is however
varied. A number of existing facilities provide a
comprehensive range of services for Park users. Other
facilities offer a more limited range of services, and in
some cases are focused primarily on specific activities
and users e.g. sports facilities.
It is also important to take into consideration the range
of other facilities and attractions within the Park that,
although not focused on providing services for the Park
visitor/user, can nonetheless be used and enjoyed as
part of a visit e.g. pubs, café, visitor attractions. There
are approximately 50 pubs located either within the
Park boundary (or close to it) plus a variety of cafes,
restaurants and toilets within towns and villages close
to the Park (e.g. Ware, Stanstead Abbotts, Roydon,
Broxbourne and Waltham Abbey). Busy roads, railway
lines and other infrastructure can create barriers to
movement, and routes from these centres to the Park
are not always attractive, or easy to find. Promoting the
relationship between specific facilities such as a local
pub or village and the Regional Park will expand the
visitor offer and provide additional facilities and choice
for the visitor. Success will be dependent on partnership
working and joint promotion.
What do we want to achieve?
To build on the current range of visitor facilities
in the Park, in order to provide the essential
comforts people want and expect when
they visit.
To provide venues and supporting facilities for
the wide range of activities and events that the
Park hosts.
To ensure all new facilities are designed
to sustainable standards and incorporate
both energy and water efficiency measures.
Existing facilities will be retrofitted at an
appropriate stage.
We believe there are four key elements to this
future network:-
1. Visitor Facilities
- We want to develop a network of visitor facilities that
offer a core level of service to include: toilets, shelter,
food and drink, staff presence, Park information, indoor
and outdoor seating areas, secure play areas and
other place specific features and activities.
- We want these facilities to be located within or close
to sites of interest within the Park and, where possible,
to be readily accessible to public transport.
- Where possible we want these facilities to support
some, or all, of the wider range of services offered
within the Park, including events, education and volunteering
(e.g. flexible meeting space, changing
facilities, showers, secure storage etc).
2. Secondary Visitor Infrastructure
- Secondary infrastructure includes features and
facilities such as signage, furniture, interpretation,
playable space, view points, recreational opportunities
and anything else that supports visitors’ enjoyment of
the Park.
- We want to ensure that secondary visitor infrastructure
is appropriately located throughout the Park
- This could include temporary or movable structures
that might form a short-term visitor focus within the
Park, possibly as part of an event, exhibition and
seasonal feature.
3. Facilities nearby the Park
- These include pubs, cafes, retail outlets and other
visitor attractions that are located near by the Park.
These facilities will form an important part of the overall
visitor facility network.
- Park based information, signage, paths and entrances
will help visitors get to, and enjoy, these facilities.
4. Broadening the visitor offer of specific
purpose facilities
- A number of existing built facilities within the Park
currently focus on specific activities, or operate for
a specific purpose. The needs of users of these facilities
are well catered for, although in many instances the
facilities provide limited services to general Park visitors.
- We want to ensure any new facilities will provide
a multi functional role, offering services for both
specific uses and general Park users.
- We also want, where possible, to improve existing
special purpose facilities to better accommodate the
needs of general Park users.
How will we deliver?
On our estate
We will
- Further enhance existing visitor facilities where
possible to ensure provision of the identified core
range of services, particularly at:
- Lee Valley Farms/Fishers Green (River Lee
Country Park)
- Gunpowder Park
- Myddelton House
- WaterWorks Nature Reserve and Golf Centre
- Ensure proposed new visitor facilities provide the
identified core range of services, namely:
- South River Lee Country Park – Lee Valley White
Water Centre
- Work with partners to provide new visitor facilities
(as a component part of new recreation/leisure
developments) at:
- Broxbourne (former Leisure Pool site);
- Lee Valley Leisure Complex (at Picketts Lock)
- East India Dock Basin
- Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park vistor hub
- Undertake a long term investment programme to
replace and further develop the secondary visitor
infrastructure. This will follow the comprehensive
design proposals highlighted in the Branding Strategy.
- Broaden the visitor offer of existing specific purpose
facilities within the Park where possible.
Working with others
We will
- Enhance existing visitor facilities owned and operated by
others to ensure they provide as many of the identified
core services for general Park users as possible.
They should also form part of a coordinated and
complementary whole Park visitor network, particularly:
- RSPB Rye Meads
- YHA Lee Valley, Cheshunt and Herts Young
Mariners Base
- Royal Gunpowder Mills
- Markfield Beam Engine Museum
- Three Mills Green and House Mill
- Develop new visitor facilities to provide the full range
of identified core services for general Park users,
particularly at:
- Walthamstow Reservoirs
- Hackney Marshes
- Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
- Lea River Park
Working with others
We will
- Enhance existing visitor facilities owned and operated by
others to ensure they provide as many of the identified
core services for general Park users as possible.
They should also form part of a coordinated and
complementary whole Park visitor network, particularly:
- RSPB Rye Meads
- YHA Lee Valley, Cheshunt and Herts Young
Mariners Base
- Royal Gunpowder Mills
- Markfield Beam Engine Museum
- Three Mills Green and House Mill
- Develop new visitor facilities to provide the full range
of identified core services for general Park users,
particularly at:
- Walthamstow Reservoirs
- Hackney Marshes
- Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
- Lea River Park