£2.5 million Heritage Fund Grant Boosts Stover Country Park

The National Lottery isn’t just about the opportunity to win great cash prizes. A key feature is their Heritage Fund that helps everyone from community groups to sports stars.

The end of September saw some great news received by Stover Country Park in Devon, England. They heard that the Heritage Fund is to give them a £2.5 million grant. This is vital funding that will help their existing nature and restoration project. The project has the aim of revitalising biodiversity in the park which has a Grade II listing.

With the Heritage Fund grant  and others being received, the worries of how to fund the project are now over. Work will include removing silt from their 10-acre naturalised freshwater lake.  This is an important task as it bids to regain its Special Scientific Site of Interest status.

That’s a site of Special Scientific Interest and is the largest in the south west of England. There is a second lake too and now a part of that can be reopened.

History restored
Stover Country Park also has an historic Gatehouse. It’s not in the greatest of conditions though and the Heritage Fund grant will now enable them to begin a restoration project. This means that the Gatehouse will be able to be taken off the National ‘Heritage At Risk’ register.

A network of walking routes will be created. These will be linked to their Discovery Centre which will undergo improvements. There will also be outdoor learning areas so you can see that the funding will be put to good use.

Rare species galore
Those wishing to see rare species are in for a treat at the Stover Country Park. These include downy-emerald dragonflies and greater horseshoe bats.

Stuart McLeod is the Director for London and the South at the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Speaking about this grant he said: “Through our conversations with National Lottery players, we know that nature is incredibly important to them. I’m delighted that we’re able to support Stover Country Park and their vision to preserve this significant and varied landscape in Devon.

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