Following the improvements we have carried out in the Tommy's Field area, including the footpath through the allotment, fencing, signage and seating. We are not working on a triangular patch of land alongside the busy entrance road into Morpeth. This area is the final section of the project as it is at the end of the footpath. The land will undergo a timely facelift to rid it of its unwanted tag as an unsightly eyesore.
 .jpg)
With more summer visitors flocking into the town and Northumbria and Britain in Bloom judges due to shortly inspect Morpeth, tidying up the land has become a top priority partnership task for us. We are working with Morpeth Town Council, the Morpeth Initiative, Northumberland County Council and the owners of the site Dransfield Properties Limited, the company, which is currently redeveloping Sanderson Arcade.
Known locally rather uncomplimentary as 'Grott Land', the land lies between the new Dark Lane car park developed on the outskirts of Morpeth and what has now been turned into a pleasant walk along the banks of the River Wansbeck. The site had become a neglected dumping ground detracting from the visual appearance of the walk leading past the Tommy's Field allotments.
Now the site has been cleaned and tidied up and over the next few weeks it will be resurfaced, the dangerous wall repaired and seating installed in readiness for a wild flower meadow to be planted with a native mix of seeds.
 
The site had become a real eyesore at the entrance to Morpeth alongside the new car park that is being used daily by scores of visitors to the town. It was also visually detracting from the riverside footpath improvements, which have opened up such a pleasant walk along the banks of the Wansbeck. Now the site is being transformed into an attractive seating area that can be used by both visitors and residents of Morpeth."
Morpeth Town Council had agreed to re-locate three seats to the site, which had been moved from the bus station as part of the town centre improvements. The seats have been in storage since last year, but now they will be put to good use again which also fits in neatly with the overall recycling ethos we are generating throughout Morpeth.
Northumberland County Council's neighbourhood service team was called in to provide specialist advice on landscaping and planting the site and Northern Area. A native mix of wild flower meadow seeds has been chosen for planting, and although it will take some time for the flowers to establish we are delighted to have been able to help tidy up this visually important site in readiness for the summer.
We are also hoping that the improvement work that has been done will catch the eye of the 'Bloom' competition judges when they visit Morpeth for their summer inspection of the town in a few weeks time. This year Morpeth is hoping to go one better than last year and not only retain its Northumbria in Bloom title as the prettiest town in the Northern region, but also clinch a national Britain in Bloom award after narrowly missing out on the accolade 12 months ago.
Some of the funding for the improvement of the site has been provided by the Morpeth Initiative, which has been promoting improvements in the town for more than 20 years. Initiative chairman Geoff Proudlock is proud of all that has been done in Morpeth but they have now decided to wind up the Initiative because the job is pretty well done, and as a final act they were happy to part-fund work on this site.
Improving areas such as this site demonstrates a clear determined community effort to make Morpeth even more attractive for residents and visitors alike, and we hope the 'Bloom' judges continue to be suitably impressed by this partnership approach. |
