Trust set up in the name of the late Queen Elizabeth II will contribute towards a £2m investment into a Liverpool country park and support a masterplan for the park and its Elizabethan hall. Tony McDonough reports
There will be a £2m investment into Croxteth Country Park to support community improvements and develop a masterplan for the popular destination.
This money will come from the Queen Elizabeth Trust, a project set up to honour the legacy of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and the Lady Sefton Trust, which was bequeathed for the benefit of the city and held in the custodianship of Liverpool City Council.
Located on the outskirts of the city, Croxteth Country Park and its historic stately home has become a challenge for the city council. It attracts around 600,000 visitors a year but costs the city more than £1m a year to maintain.
A plan to turn it into a wedding and events venue was shelved in 2018. In 2020 the council was forced to spend £650,000 on urgent repairs to the Elizabethan hall which was originally built in 1575.
A Grade II-listed stately home, it was occupied by the aristocratic Molyneux family until 1972 when it became a visitor attraction with the country park comprising around 500 acres.
This latest investment represent the first project of the Queen Elizabeth Trust, the new UK-wide charity established following recommendations from The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee
It will see the trust support a package of projects across Croxteth Country Park, helping Liverpool City Council go further with its plans to increase community participation, improve facilities and secure a sustainable long-term future.
Subject to final agreement, the initial phase is expected to include:
- Further restoration of the Community Garden, supporting wellbeing, volunteering, skills development and inclusive access.
- A natural amphitheatre.
- A pump track for children and young people (for bicycles), creating more opportunities to be active and build confidence and skills.
Alongside these projects, the partnership will also support the development of a masterplan for Croxteth Country Park’s future. This will assess the scale and sequencing of future work and the mix of investment needed to unlock more of the park’s potential.
Liam Robinson, leader of Liverpool City Council, said: “Croxteth Park has brought generations of Liverpudlians together and we want it to play just as important a role for generations to come.
“We have long had ambitious plans for the estate, but realising its full potential requires us to think at a different scale. The Queen Elizabeth Trust’s support, investment and expertise has galvanised our ambition.”
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Sir Damon Buffini, chair of the Queen Elizabeth Trust, said: “Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth believed deeply in service, in community and in the things that bring people together.
“The Queen Elizabeth Trust wants to carry that spirit forward by helping to ensure our great, shared places remain part of everyday life, and everyone has the opportunity to experience and enjoy them.”