Ulverston’s Ford Park Set for New Accessible £610,000 Community Building
A new £610,000 community building is planned for Ford Park in Ulverston.
The project would create a new indoor space for events, school visits, workshops, fundraising and local community activities.
Ford Park Community Group has secured funding from the GSK Legacy Fund to support the scheme. Planning permission has also already been approved by Westmorland and Furness Council.
What Is Being Proposed?
The plans are for a new single-storey community building at Ford Park’s car park, off Ford Park Crescent in Ulverston.
The approved scheme includes:
- a new community building
- a staff office pod
- public toilets
- multi-purpose halls
- kitchen facilities
- solar panels
The building would give Ford Park more usable indoor space and improve the facilities available for visitors, schools and local groups.
It would also support events held on the wider park site. Giving organisers and visitors better access to toilets, kitchen space and indoor facilities.
Why the Building Is Needed
Ford Park is one of Ulverston’s most used community spaces.
The park is used by families, walkers, volunteers, schools, local groups and visitors throughout the year. It also hosts events and fundraising activities.
The new building is intended to help the charity expand what it can offer.
Ford Park has said the project will allow it to host bigger events and fundraisers, increase educational visits and create more opportunities for people to use the park.
The building is also expected to help support the long-term future of the site.
£610,000 Funding Secured
Ford Park Community Group has been awarded £610,000 from the GSK Legacy Fund.
The funding will help pay for the new building and support the charity’s plans to create a more accessible and sustainable community space.
Representatives from GSK and Barrow and Furness MP Michelle Scrogham visited the park to present the funding.
Neil Fleming, chair of Ford Park’s board of trustees, said the building would be “a wonderful asset to Ulverston”. And would extend the range of indoor and outdoor community activities that can be hosted at the park.
He also said the project would help safeguard Ford Park’s future.
Sustainable Design Included
The building has been designed with sustainability in mind.
Plans include solar panels, which are intended to help support the building’s energy needs.
The project has been designed by Architecture Unknown, with Digital Woodoo CIC also involved.
The design uses a WikiHouse-style approach. This means timber parts can be digitally cut and assembled on site. Helping to reduce waste and make the construction process more efficient.
Planning Permission Approved
Westmorland and Furness Council has already approved the planning application for the project.
The application was approved with conditions on May 28, 2024.
The proposal was listed as the construction of a single-storey community building and staff office pod, including public restrooms, multi-purpose halls and a solar panel array.
A later planning application has also been submitted relating to a variation of condition two, which covers the approved plans attached to the original permission.
What Happens Next?
The project can move forward as long as the required planning conditions are met.
Once built, the new facility is expected to give Ford Park a stronger base for community events, education sessions and fundraising.
It will also provide improved visitor facilities and help the park continue to serve Ulverston residents for years to come.
