£18m country trails network to open on former mine site

THE new 18m Fryston Country Trails, a network of more than five miles of footpaths, bridleways and cycleways, will be officially opened on Saturday..

The project has seen the 98- hectare area transformed from the former Fryston and Wheldale Colliery site, west of Castleford, into the new country park.

It also includes 40,000 newly-planted trees and two river basins have had a clean-up. There are proposals to use one for water-based recreational activities.

On Saturday the leader of Wakefield Council, Peter Box, will officially open the new network of trails that have been created.

This community celebration event will include archery demonstrations, boat trips on the River Aire, a treasure hunt, guided walks and canoeing demonstrations.

Coun Box said: “This is a magnificent scheme and I’m proud to see it finally completed.

“The scenic area will encourage people from across our district to come along and enjoy what’s on offer, promoting healthy activity at the same time.”

The regional director of the Homes and Communities Agency, the national regeneration agency for England, David Curtis, said: “This scheme, the last coalfield site in the Wakefield area to be restored as part of the National Coalfields Programme is a milestone for the local community.

“Not only have we funded the remediation of 94 hectares of waste land to create a country park but we have also made sure that the local community have benefited through both improved road access to their village and new gas supply and sewage systems.”

Mr Curtis added: “This scheme links in with other projects in the Castleford area, including the Glasshoughton site, the new footbridge and 91 carbon-neutral homes that will soon be built in Airedale.”

The project has also resulted in the introduction of a new gas supply into the village at no cost to the residents, improvements to the drainage system and the replacement of the bridge over the railway, which has improved access into New Fryston.

A new housing development platform has also been constructed as part of the scheme which will hopefully result in the construction of up to 150 new homes in the village.