Ponteland Park, Once a Sewage Works

From the early 1960’s there were discussions between the council and the Darras Hall Estate about purchasing the land between Runnymede Road and the river on which stood a redundant sewerage works and using it as a public park. The plan was to turn the sewerage works into a children’s swimming pool and to provide public walks but the Estate Committee strongly objected to the idea.

In 1965 the plans for a park went ahead but with some land which became available further downstream. In 1927 Mrs. Catherine Smith purchased six acres of land alongside West Road where she ran small dairy cafe. She kept cows and horses on the land behind the café, alongside the river and there were benches for the customers to enjoy the setting. The café was closing down and the council were able to proceed with their plans.

There are references to more land was purchased by the Council up to 1992 which probably refers to the Darras Hall land. This brought the total to 18 acres.

It is a linear park, following the course of the River Pont and often prone to flooding.
The river itself and the surrounding trees and meadows are an important and diverse wildlife habitat which supports kingfishers and red squirrels. An addition which is now twenty-five years old is the Millennium Bridge providing access from the western edge of the village. This was one of thousands of such projects all across the UK which took place at the end of the 1990’s to celebrate the new millennium.