Howe Park Wood Education & Visitor Centre

This new environmental education and visitor centre is situated in ancient woodland designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The location of the building created a number of logistical difficulties, which the team successfully overcame, such as the need to protect various endangered species identified in the area and difficulties in obtaining utilities connections.

The Centre is used to educate the public, and children in particular, about the flora, fauna and local environment generally. Facilities include a purpose built classroom, meeting rooms and an independently run café, all of which are also available for private hire.

The building and its immediate grounds incorporate several features to encourage public interaction with wildlife such as accessible walkways, a living stone wall, bird and bat boxes, a pond (used for pond dipping) and insect homes. The building also embraces sustainable design and energy strategies, utilising an air source heat pump, PV cells and low water usage systems.

Howe Park Wood was the first publicly opened general visitor centre operated by the Parks Trust, a client who we’ve successfully completed multiple further projects for over many years.