Have your say on first plans for Prestley Country Park

14.08.2026

Residents and local communities are being invited to help shape the future of Prestley Country Park, which will stretch over 63 hectares (150 acres) and provide a multifunctional landscape combining biodiversity and heritage with health, recreation and education. The vision is to create a place for wildlife to flourish, communities to connect and future generations to enjoy.

The vision and early plans for Prestley Country Park have been informed by feedback from previous consultations, community discussions and Quality of Life surveys, as well as discussions with the Prestley Country Park Working Group and other local stakeholders.

Urban&Civic, Alconbury Weald’s master developer, is working in partnership with Nene Park Trust to help shape not only the physical design of the Country Park, but also the way it is delivered, and the culture, care and community that will help it thrive.

Prestley Country Park will provide a refuge for wildlife and biodiversity, a place for families to make memories and communities to come together, a resource for climate resilience and education, and a celebration of the area’s heritage.

Existing features have played an important role in shaping the proposals. This includes the scheduled monument in Prestley Wood, historic ridge and furrow farming patterns, mature woodland and hedgerows, and public rights of way.

These features will be protected and enhanced, alongside new planting and landscaping to improve the appearance, access and biodiversity. Designated areas will be managed through sustainable grazing practices, helping improve soil health, structural diversity and wildflowers. The landscape will also include orchards, foraging routes, overwinter crops and grain-rich margins for birds.

A proposed blossom tree circle will provide a focal point in the Country Park, with a grassed area, seating and picnic benches creating a flexible space for organised events such as community workshops, educational demonstrations and health and wellbeing sessions.

In the longer term, areas have been set aside to support play spaces, additional recreational facilities and parking. Once the landscape is established, further work and community consultation will help shape how these opportunities are delivered.

Prestley Country Park will evolve over the next five years (2026-2030) and continue to mature over the next 20 years and beyond. Rather than wait for all elements to be established, the park will be delivered and activated in phases. Each phase will be influenced by further community involvement, and in line with the relevant planning approvals and obligations.

The plans set out the first area of the Country Park that will come forward alongside the work being undertaken to restore Prestley Wood scheduled monument and woodland. Plans include bunds to provide interesting landform and mark the eastern edge of the Country Park, woodland and shrub planting, wildflower meadows and amenity grassland, and paths that will connect to future areas of the Country Park as they are delivered.

“We have listened to the community through our earlier consultations and engagement, and this has helped shape the vision and plans we are bringing forward. But this is just the beginning. The Country Park will evolve over many years, and we want local people to continue to have a voice in how it develops, as well as opportunities to get involved through volunteering, activities and events.

“We want Prestley Country Park to become a local treasure – shaped for the community, by the community – and look forward to hearing people’s views on the current plans and their aspirations for its future.”

Paul Murfin - Communications and Partnerships for Alconbury Weald