Stoke Park Farm Greenspace
New SANG (Sustainable Alternative Natural Greenspace) in the Borough
Imagine a new green space accessible to residents in our Borough.
Dog walkers, cyclists, nature lovers or just people out for a stroll can take time out from their stressful lives to enjoy themselves in a beautiful landscape which is also a haven for wildlife.
Stoke Park SANG north-east of Bishopstoke is rapidly taking shape and is scheduled to open to the public in the summer.
A SANG (Suitable Alternative Natural Greens Space) is a semi-rural area of open space, provided to divert residents from the ecologically sensitive areas of the New Forest.
The idea for a 'green lung' being delivered in Eastleigh provides a valued community asset in line with the increased housing within the Borough. Not only providing an attractive site for public use, its ecological and environmental diversity will be enhanced benefiting wildlife.
The 21-hectare site was previously used to graze cattle but now predominantly comprises of grassland, surrounded by trees.
The blueprint for turning the park into a recreational facility includes providing a series of footpaths through the site, as well as new hedgerows and tree planting.
Other features in the park include: seating and picnic areas at key locations, along with information and interpretation boards, signs, litter and dog bins
A range of green features and habitat enhancements are also proposed including new native planting, log piles, along with bird and bat boxes.
The car park serving the cemetery will be used as the facility’s parking space with access to the SANG being through the woodland walk or along the bridleway to the north of Sewall Drive and the fish farm. Access can also be gained on foot along multiple existing footpaths through Stoke Park Woods. Pedestrian entrances can also be accessed from Hardings Lane, Severnake Way, rear of the Fox and Hounds Pub and the adjoining Upperbarn Copse and Crowdhill Copse.
The wider Stoke Park site is already an area that will also be home to the protected great crested newts, a European protected species, as we support and enhance the conservation of newt populations through the provision of new ponds and habitat delivered in partnership with the Newt Conservation Partnership and Naturespace. Work on this eight-hectare site will commence in spring 2025.
The ponds and habitat creation are expected to have wider reaching biodiversity benefits than just for great crested newts, demonstrating the delivery of objectives set out in the Council’s draft Biodiversity Strategy.
