West Midlands Mayor Andy Street says a grant to a Solihull community project will help protect historically and environmentally significant Parkland.
Andy, who leads the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), described the Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens as ‘a hidden gem in Solihull’. The site is being restored and made more accessible to the public thanks to a Community Green Grant.
Andy said: “It’s wonderful to see our Green Grants supporting community-led initiatives like Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens.
“Projects like this enhance our natural environment and ensure local people have access to green spaces, which can be so beneficial to our mental and physical wellbeing.
“Castle Bromwich Hall’s 350-year-old gardens really are a hidden gem in Solihull, and I hope more people will discover and enjoy their beauty thanks to this brilliant work.”
The 40-acre estate sits on Solihull’s border with Birmingham, with a Jacobean Hall at the centre of the historic gardens.
The £23,000 grant from the WMCA will help fund the restoration and conservation of an area of protected wetland, dried-up ponds, and rare acid grassland that is receding due to invading species.
Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens were originally part of the estate of the Earls of Bradford and are now managed by an independent trust. They sit within the largest conservation area in Solihull.
The formal gardens and the 30-acre parkland are both Grade II* Listed, meaning they are in the top 10 per cent of protected landscapes in the country.
The WMCA grant is supporting the wider restoration and conservation of this important heritage site, which is being carried out by the Trust with further support from Solihull Council, Birmingham City Council and other funding partners.
This is the latest of 20 locally led nature projects across the West Midlands to be supported by the WMCA’s Community Green Grants fund, with almost £500,000 helping to restore waterways, plant trees, create ponds, wildflower meadows and urban parks, and to grow fruit and vegetables.
These projects have also provided new or improved access to green and blue spaces for the more than 200,000 residents who live within a 15-minute walk of these sites - one of the key aims of the region’s Natural Environment Plan.
Cllr Ian Courts, a member of the WMCA Board and leader of Solihull Council, said: “Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens are an important part of Solihull’s history and landscape, and provide a fantastic green haven in what is otherwise a densely built-up area of the borough.
“I’m delighted the trust has been successful in applying for a Community Green Grant to continue its restoration and conservation work. It will offer many opportunities for local people and visitors to enjoy the site’s story and beauty, while improving their physical and mental health.”