How Nene Park came to be

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In the 1960's Peterborough was chosen as one of the last cities to carry out a large-scale expansion under the framework of the New Towns Act. It was unusual in that, unlike most other "New Towns", it was based on a substantial historic and relatively prosperous city, rather than being largely a "green field" site such as Milton Keynes.

Peterborough Development Corporation was established by Central Government as the agency responsible to plan and carrying out the task of developing the city in partnership with City and County Councils but always in the knowledge that it would be wound up when the expansion was completed.

The need for a greater number and wider range of sports facilities in the city was identified and although Peterborough was surrounded by countryside, there was little public access to it.

This need was addressed at the planning stage by giving particular attention to leisure and recreation and countryside access.

So incorporated into the master plan for the city was a large Park that stretched west along the river valley from close to the city centre. This turned the inability to develop housing and industry in the flood plain to the best advantage for leisure and recreation.

The plans for the Park located the more formal recreations in the east, close to the city. At the centre on a wide meander in the river was a country park, from here there would be access to the wider countryside to the west where there were very few changes other than improvements to access. So Nene Park was born. Initially though, the land was leased to Amey Roadstone who extracted over 5 million tonnes of sand and gravel used in constructing the fabric of the city and in return created the lakes we see today.

By 1988 the Development Corporation had acquired 660 hectares of land along the river valley. It had put into place access agreements with landowners of over half as much again. In conjunction with its tenants it had developed and operated a park attracting over three-quarters of a million visitors a year.

To the east it contained the second purpose built rowing course in the country, two 18-hole golf courses, and a trout fishery that complemented the extensive excellent coarse fishing in the area.

At the centre was the country park at Ferry Meadows, with a watersports centre, areas for camping and caravanning, a visitor centre and all the supporting facilities for a country park attracting over half the total visitors each year. And in the west was unspoiled countryside linked by a riverside footpath running west for seven miles from the city centre with footpaths and horse routes linking to the adjacent villages.

Take a look at our clickable map of the park.