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A new 11-acre park in Kent offering stunning views and nature trails is now open to the public.
The beauty spot has been created as part of a housing development at former Army barracks in Canterbury.
It is being managed by the Howe Park Trust, which was set up to oversee the open space and three community buildings as part of the Taylor Wimpey estate off Littlebourne Road.
Called Legacy Park, contractors are landscaping the site and have installed new children's play equipment.
While it still looks a little bare, the developer says it has been grass-seeded and planted and will be blooming in summer.
There are also three former original How Barracks buildings - a chapel, a small arms trainer and a gymnasium - which are being made available for a variety of events and activities, including changing facilities for sports.
The new park has a number of paths and trails, all surrounded by natural habitats designed specifically for wildlife such as dormice and other indigenous species.
Legacy Park is the first of many facilities which will be provided at the 500-home Royal Parade development for use by the local community.
Over the next few years, additional facilities will include a community orchard, more play areas and sports pitches, all of which will be delivered by Taylor Wimpey.
They will be available to the wider community and transferred to the Howe Park Trust, an independent organisation which will own and manage them for the community.
The trust is made up of volunteers and trustees.
Its community development manager, Karen Byrne, said: “We’re delighted that Legacy Park is now open for the public to enjoy, especially as it’s the first of the community facilities at Royal Parade to be handed over to Howe Park Trust.
"Luckily, as the park is an outside facility, we can all take advantage of the charming surroundings during these challenging times.
"There are plans for informal community activities to be held in the future and the trust can be contacted for more information or to get involved.”
The park can be accessed via Chaucer Road, Querns Road or along public footpaths CC26 and CC27.
To find out more about the role of the Howe Park Trust in the local community, email info@howeparktrust.org, visit https://howeparktrust.org/ or take a look at the Howe Park Trust page on Facebook.
