Client: Warwickshire County Council

It is a 154 acre site of natural regeneration on the location of the former Pooley Hall Colliery. Pooley Country Park represents an important outdoor recreation resource and includes areas of important ecological value.

The main landmark is the colliery spoil heap mound, which is now part of the walking routes, and gives panoramic views across four counties from its peak. The mound houses the sculpture ‘Gold Leaf: Buried Sunlight’, a twelve metre high public art piece created as part of the regeneration of the country park. Some of the mining features are still visible such as the spoil heap mound, the capped mineshaft and one of the pithead turning wheels which has been repurposed as a sculpture. Pooley Country Park also incorporates a café and play area

Current activities include cycling, orienteering, bush craft skills and the canal for kayaking. The cycling routes include BMX/Mountain bike trails and have been built by local volunteers. The three main trails at Pooley cater for different ability levels and include a Family Trail, a Cross Country Trail and a Jumps and Skills Trail.

The Park also houses part of the award winning Polesworth Poets Trail, which starts at Polesworth Abbey and finishes in the Park, describing the heritage and natural landscape through twenty-seven poems, eleven of which are located in the park.

The park is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) with the SSSI having been created through natural regeneration, initially through the silver birch trees, lichens and moss to create an environment that now sustains rare plants, butterflies and spiders. Its SSSI designation is mainly attributable to the wetland habitat that the site provides especially to over wintering birds.

The Coventry Canal Navigation passes through the park and canal boaters use the park facilities. The country park incorporates canal wharf along with visitor moorings.

Planning Solutions Consulting were commissioned to work with Warwickshire County Council to develop a visitor experience masterplan. The work included a full review of the existing operation and extensive primary research which led to the masterplan production.

How can we help?
If you have any questions or would like to discuss our work please don’t hesitate to call Richard Linington on 023 9248 1999 or email richard@pslplan.co.uk

Images kindly supplied by Warwickshire County Council