Posted on Wednesday 12th February 2025
Making the less environmentally sensitive parts of Chasewater country park, pictured, more attractive and accessible will ease pressure on more vulnerable areas. Pic: Sam Carpenter.
Improving facilities at Chasewater country park will support conservation and boost the local economy.
Staffordshire County Council’s plans to upgrade the site as part of a multi-million pound investment will transform the 360-hectare country park from a local asset to a regional destination.
The authority is spending £18 million on upgrading the visitor facilities at Chasewater and Cannock Chase Country Parks, as well as improving the Staffordshire Way long-distance walking route.
Victoria Wilson, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Communities and Culture, said:
We are blessed in Staffordshire to have several country parks that would be the envy of other areas.
For its size, beauty and diversity, Cannock Chase generates a great deal of interest, while by comparison others such as nearby Chasewater are often ‘local secrets’.
The opportunity at Chasewater will be to carry on protecting the special wildlife there and retain the things that people value, such as its family-friendly nature, opportunities to see wildlife and tranquillity, while improving the visitor facilities, access for all, and the quality of the walking trails.
Achieving this will make it better for nearby residents, boost local businesses and, by making it a more attractive option, will hopefully offer people an alternative to always visiting more environmentally sensitive areas, such as parts of Cannock Chase.”
In terms of visitor numbers for its size, Cannock Chase is around five times busier than the Lake District.
And with part of which is classed as a National Landscape, visitor numbers are expected to pass three million as more housing developments are built in surrounding areas.
Victoria Wilson added:
Balancing the needs of people and wildlife is crucial across all our sites: Chasewater has protected species and habitats which are nationally important, while Cannock Chase is both nationally and internationally significant.
Cannock Chase is under huge pressure, so we are working hard to encourage access and enjoyment while relieving some of the pressure on the most sensitive areas and helping people understand the important part they have to play in caring for the area.
Making the less environmentally sensitive parts of Chasewater more attractive and accessible will help relieve this pressure, while improving what the site has to offer nearby communities and visitors alike.”
Consultation about how Cannock Chase’s future may be shaped is ongoing, with a questionnaire to be found here.