Vision and Action Plan for the Heart of the National Forest
RTP led a consortium of tree specialists Lockhart Garratt and LUC for this extremely exciting study to shape the future of the Heart of the National Forest.
Our focus was to fully understand uniqueness of the Heart of the National Forest (spatial, economic, tourism, landscape and social context) and articulate a sustainable vision and deliverable action plan for partners to unlock the full potential of the Forest.
The challenge was to contain expectations to ensure that the actions were viable, deliverable and sustainable in the longer term, and did not undermine the work done to date in creating the green pallet from the despoiled coalmining.
It would have been all to easy to identify new tourist products for the area, but we made it clear from the outset that this is not our approach – we are not going to produce beautiful illustrations of ideas that have not hope of delivery or undermine what has already been done.
Where is the Heart of the National Forest?
Situated centrally in the East Midlands, between Swadlincote, Ashby and Measham, the 10,000 acre Heart of the National Forest is ready to become a regional asset of significance.
Consultation play an important part of this study
We consulted widely in developing the vision and action, introduced numerous new organisations to the existing opportunities for skills development, involvement and delivery. There were numerous focused workshops on tourism, spatial planning, woodland economy, skills, jobs and training.
Our output included an overarching vision, and action plan, and three accompanying business plans for specific projects for partners to get stuck into immediately towards short term projects, but also, actions on influencing longer term spatial planning policy of the area.
The aspiration for the area is as a major visitor destination and strategic green infrastructure set within a new diverse forest economy.
Our focus was to fully understand uniqueness of the Heart of the National Forest (spatial, economic, tourism, landscape and social context) and articulate a sustainable vision and deliverable action plan for partners to unlock the full potential of the Forest.
The challenge was to contain expectations to ensure that the actions were viable, deliverable and sustainable in the longer term, and did not undermine the work done to date in creating the green pallet from the despoiled coalmining.
It would have been all to easy to identify new tourist products for the area, but we made it clear from the outset that this is not our approach – we are not going to produce beautiful illustrations of ideas that have not hope of delivery or undermine what has already been done.
Where is the Heart of the National Forest?
Situated centrally in the East Midlands, between Swadlincote, Ashby and Measham, the 10,000 acre Heart of the National Forest is ready to become a regional asset of significance.
Consultation play an important part of this study
We consulted widely in developing the vision and action, introduced numerous new organisations to the existing opportunities for skills development, involvement and delivery. There were numerous focused workshops on tourism, spatial planning, woodland economy, skills, jobs and training.
Our output included an overarching vision, and action plan, and three accompanying business plans for specific projects for partners to get stuck into immediately towards short term projects, but also, actions on influencing longer term spatial planning policy of the area.
The aspiration for the area is as a major visitor destination and strategic green infrastructure set within a new diverse forest economy.
