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What is this engagement about?

Cheshire West and Chester Council is working with Saughall and Shotwick Park Parish Council and The Mersey Forest to develop ideas for the land at Shotwick Park and want to engage with local residents.

The purpose of this initial engagement is to understand people’s views and ideas for how the site could be enhanced or positively managed into the future, for the benefit of local people, nature and the climate.


How will the feedback be used?

Once the community engagement closes, the Council will consider all the feedback received, to help shape draft plans for the site, reflective of the views and ideas of local people. A summary of the engagement findings will be published alongside the draft proposals for the site towards the end of March/ early April 2025.

There will be a further opportunity to comment on the draft proposals for the site and the Council will also hold public drop-in sessions in the local area, commencing towards the end of March/ early April 2025, to talk to residents about the proposals. Details of the public drop-in sessions will be made available on the engagement webpage and widely publicised in the local community.


How can I take part and share my views?

There are a number of ways you can share your views and ideas:

  • Fill in an online survey here.
  • Fill in a paper survey and return it via the Shotwick Park survey return post boxes located at:
    • Blacon Library, Parade Enterprise Centre, 14 the Parade, Chester, CH1 5HN
    • Co-op supermarket, Church Road, Saughall, CH1 6EP
  • Email: biodiversity@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
  • Write to: Shotwick Park Engagement, Planning & Placemaking, Chester HQ, 58 Nicholas Street, Chester, CH1 2NP
  • Telephone: 0300 123 8123 quoting ‘Shotwick Park engagement’
  • Paper copies/alternative formats are also available using the contact details above


How long do I have to respond?

This engagement will be open until Sunday 16 March.


Why are the timescales so short?

In order to access funding connected to the Trees for Climate programme, site preparation would need to commence this year in order to allow initial tree planting to commence early in 2026. In order to ensure residents and the Parish Council have a chance to inform and shape plans for Shotwick Park there is a need for this early engagement around views and ideas to then inform draft design proposals followed by further engagement with the community around draft design proposals.


Where is Shotwick Park?

Shotwick Park is an area of 150 hectares of land comprising of pasture, woodland, arable land and an area of historic parkland. The land is located in Saughall, to the north-west of Seahill Road and Church Road and south of the A494. There is also land either side of Lodge Lane, with the majority lying south of the lane. It does not include a section of land in the middle of this area, where the Shotwick Castle ancient monument is located.


What is happening to the land at Shotwick Park?

In November 2024, Cheshire West and Chester Council took the decision to retain the land at Shotwick Park.

The Council is now exploring ways to help ensure that the site reflects the needs and aspirations of local people and protects the historic and ecological assets of the site, whilst attracting enough external funding, grants and other income to sustain the management of this land into the future.


What is the vision for Shotwick Park?

In response to community feedback, the vision for the site would see the establishment of woodland and habitats, transforming the site for the benefit of the local community and environment. This would include:

  • Creation of community woodland
  • Maintaining current woodland, habitats and historical features
  • Creation of a public space that provides better access to nature for people local to Shotwick Park.


Would the plans affect public access?

The project would not affect public access to the footpath network on the site.


Would the plans affect Shotwick Castle?

The project would not affect the site of Shotwick Castle, which is recorded as a scheduled monument and has statutory protections.


Why is a new community woodland proposed?

Enhancing the land at Shotwick Park is dependent on the creation of a new community woodland on the site, which would bring in funding from The Mersey Forest’s Trees for Climate programme. The Mersey Forest works alongside communities and partners to create woodlands and help people explore nature. The funding would also provide further opportunities to safeguard the future management of the park.


Why is this an open engagement, not just for Saughall and Shotwick Park residents?

The engagement is targeted at the Saughall and Shotwick Park community and Saughall and Shotwick Parish Council are delivering leaflets to every household in the parish. The Council will also be holding drop-ins in the local area, commencing towards the end of March/ early April 2025, to speak to residents about the draft proposals, once they have been developed, based on this initial engagement feedback.

Keeping this engagement open ensures that the Council doesn’t miss anyone out. Questions on the survey enable the Council to bring together and draw out the views of Saughall and Shotwick Park residents and compare any differences in views. For example, the survey asks whether respondents are a resident of Saughall and Shotwick Park and for their postcode.


Will you share the results of this engagement?

Yes, a summary of the engagement findings will be published alongside the draft proposals for the site, towards the end of March/ early April 2025.


Will you share the draft proposals for Shotwick Park for comments?

Yes, the Council will share the draft proposals for the site towards the end of March/ early April 2025. The Council will consider all the feedback from this initial engagement, to help shape the draft proposals for the site.

There will be a further opportunity to comment on the draft proposals, both online and via public drop-in sessions in the local area, commencing towards the end of March/ early April 2025.

The drop-in sessions will be informal events where you can come and talk to the Council about the proposals. Details of the public drop-in sessions will be made available on the engagement webpage and widely publicised in the local community.


Please click here to return to the Shotwick Park engagement page.


What is this engagement about?

Cheshire West and Chester Council is working with Saughall and Shotwick Park Parish Council and The Mersey Forest to develop ideas for the land at Shotwick Park and want to engage with local residents.

The purpose of this initial engagement is to understand people’s views and ideas for how the site could be enhanced or positively managed into the future, for the benefit of local people, nature and the climate.


How will the feedback be used?

Once the community engagement closes, the Council will consider all the feedback received, to help shape draft plans for the site, reflective of the views and ideas of local people. A summary of the engagement findings will be published alongside the draft proposals for the site towards the end of March/ early April 2025.

There will be a further opportunity to comment on the draft proposals for the site and the Council will also hold public drop-in sessions in the local area, commencing towards the end of March/ early April 2025, to talk to residents about the proposals. Details of the public drop-in sessions will be made available on the engagement webpage and widely publicised in the local community.


How can I take part and share my views?

There are a number of ways you can share your views and ideas:

  • Fill in an online survey here.
  • Fill in a paper survey and return it via the Shotwick Park survey return post boxes located at:
    • Blacon Library, Parade Enterprise Centre, 14 the Parade, Chester, CH1 5HN
    • Co-op supermarket, Church Road, Saughall, CH1 6EP
  • Email: biodiversity@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
  • Write to: Shotwick Park Engagement, Planning & Placemaking, Chester HQ, 58 Nicholas Street, Chester, CH1 2NP
  • Telephone: 0300 123 8123 quoting ‘Shotwick Park engagement’
  • Paper copies/alternative formats are also available using the contact details above


How long do I have to respond?

This engagement will be open until Sunday 16 March.


Why are the timescales so short?

In order to access funding connected to the Trees for Climate programme, site preparation would need to commence this year in order to allow initial tree planting to commence early in 2026. In order to ensure residents and the Parish Council have a chance to inform and shape plans for Shotwick Park there is a need for this early engagement around views and ideas to then inform draft design proposals followed by further engagement with the community around draft design proposals.


Where is Shotwick Park?

Shotwick Park is an area of 150 hectares of land comprising of pasture, woodland, arable land and an area of historic parkland. The land is located in Saughall, to the north-west of Seahill Road and Church Road and south of the A494. There is also land either side of Lodge Lane, with the majority lying south of the lane. It does not include a section of land in the middle of this area, where the Shotwick Castle ancient monument is located.


What is happening to the land at Shotwick Park?

In November 2024, Cheshire West and Chester Council took the decision to retain the land at Shotwick Park.

The Council is now exploring ways to help ensure that the site reflects the needs and aspirations of local people and protects the historic and ecological assets of the site, whilst attracting enough external funding, grants and other income to sustain the management of this land into the future.


What is the vision for Shotwick Park?

In response to community feedback, the vision for the site would see the establishment of woodland and habitats, transforming the site for the benefit of the local community and environment. This would include:

  • Creation of community woodland
  • Maintaining current woodland, habitats and historical features
  • Creation of a public space that provides better access to nature for people local to Shotwick Park.


Would the plans affect public access?

The project would not affect public access to the footpath network on the site.


Would the plans affect Shotwick Castle?

The project would not affect the site of Shotwick Castle, which is recorded as a scheduled monument and has statutory protections.


Why is a new community woodland proposed?

Enhancing the land at Shotwick Park is dependent on the creation of a new community woodland on the site, which would bring in funding from The Mersey Forest’s Trees for Climate programme. The Mersey Forest works alongside communities and partners to create woodlands and help people explore nature. The funding would also provide further opportunities to safeguard the future management of the park.


Why is this an open engagement, not just for Saughall and Shotwick Park residents?

The engagement is targeted at the Saughall and Shotwick Park community and Saughall and Shotwick Parish Council are delivering leaflets to every household in the parish. The Council will also be holding drop-ins in the local area, commencing towards the end of March/ early April 2025, to speak to residents about the draft proposals, once they have been developed, based on this initial engagement feedback.

Keeping this engagement open ensures that the Council doesn’t miss anyone out. Questions on the survey enable the Council to bring together and draw out the views of Saughall and Shotwick Park residents and compare any differences in views. For example, the survey asks whether respondents are a resident of Saughall and Shotwick Park and for their postcode.


Will you share the results of this engagement?

Yes, a summary of the engagement findings will be published alongside the draft proposals for the site, towards the end of March/ early April 2025.


Will you share the draft proposals for Shotwick Park for comments?

Yes, the Council will share the draft proposals for the site towards the end of March/ early April 2025. The Council will consider all the feedback from this initial engagement, to help shape the draft proposals for the site.

There will be a further opportunity to comment on the draft proposals, both online and via public drop-in sessions in the local area, commencing towards the end of March/ early April 2025.

The drop-in sessions will be informal events where you can come and talk to the Council about the proposals. Details of the public drop-in sessions will be made available on the engagement webpage and widely publicised in the local community.


Please click here to return to the Shotwick Park engagement page.