This will be a permanent home for Forest of Imagination and a setting for high quality contemporary sculpture and art in the landscape. In this hidden valley, local people and visitors will be immersed in a unique nature-based cultural experience in keeping with the ambition for Bath to become a Landscape City.
Inclusivity, wellbeing, creativity and action: the benefits for local communities and visitors
We will open up the current site, making it accessible for all as well as making it part of Bath’s network of walking and cycling opportunities. This increased inclusivity will help connect local communities and visitors to nature and the wider landscape.
Our proposal will address mental and physical health through the provision of nature and arts-based wellbeing activities as well as the creation of features that encourage active play and inclusive walking and cycling trails.
The use of art and sculpture will provide opportunities for local communities to explore, play and learn about nature, climate change and the positive actions they can take for nature and their own wellbeing. By engaging large numbers of people with the climate crisis and ecological emergency, we will inspire them to act and support action through the development of knowledge and skills.
Addressing the Climate and Nature Emergency and instigating a green recovery for Bath
We are confident that Entry Hill’s redevelopment into a nature park would deliver a net gain for biodiversity in Bath, improve people’s wellbeing, and help to tackle air pollution through natural solutions such as tree planting and by improving the ability of Entry Hill to absorb and store carbon through the restoration of soil structure and meadow creation.
By developing Entry Hill for people and for nature, our proposal will aid a green recovery for Bath on a landscape scale. It will also offer something new for visitors and residents by establishing a nature-rich landscape with a mixture of connected habitats such as woodland, wood pasture, grassland and wetlands. These habitats are ideal for foraging bats from the nearby Combe Down Stone Mines. By linking up with nearby habitats, we will create valuable green infrastructure that contributes to the West of England Nature Recovery Network.
This will breathe new life into the city of Bath, as Entry Hill will act as an inspiring “green lung” for nature, people and local businesses and help protect this wildlife-rich landscape for the future. This site will deliver a financially viable, unique and intergenerational visitor experience which could generate income for both organisations, BANES and fund further environmental projects for local communities. It will also provide a hub for Avon Wildlife Trust's activities in Bath, enabling us to do more in the city, engage and inspire Bath residents with nature and help maintain Bath’s world-renowned heritage status.