Historic park restored to Sandwell

A historic park is finally set to be handed over to Sandwell Council in June following years of legal wrangling with neighbouring Birmingham.

Lightwoods Park in Bearwood, Smethwick, borders Birmingham along Hagley Road within Sandwell but has been in city council control since the early 1970s.

Birmingham has been accused of neglecting the 29-acre beauty spot over the years, in favour of spending money on parks within its own border and councillors and campaigners have called for it to be handed over to Sandwell for years.

Steve Eling, Bearwood councillor and finance chief for Sandwell, today announced the legal transfer of the park was expected to be completed in June, with negotiations now in their final stages.

He said: "From our perspective it is going through, but it's in the hands of the solicitors now.

"There are no blockages now, it is just the speed with which the legal process works and then it will need approval from the Charity Commision."

The borough council has already earmarked £1.2 million to spend on restoring the historic mansion house on the parkland and also budgeted £80,000 a year for maintenance of the park itself, as well as up to another £80,000 to upgrade the children's play area and BMX and skateboard park.

The skatepark, which was initially built as part of the Challenge Anneka television show, has been labelled a "death trap" by campaigners and will be one of the first features to be improved at the park.

Councillor Eling added: "It depends on the final designs but there may be about £80,000 for the skatepark and play area. There's a problem with the drainage there, it's not just a case of replacing the skate ramp.

"The young people locally have already said what bits of kit they would like to see. That only comes to about £8,000 which is a small part of the overall costs, but a lot will be sorting out the drainage and resurfacing.

"It would be nice to see it starting in the summer, but I don't want to be committal on it because it depends on a lot of factors.

"The best things are worth waiting for."