Levelling Up Fund: Cae Ddol Park

Project background

This project is part of the Levelling Up funding to deliver projects that will protect Ruthin’s unique Heritage, wellbeing and Rural Communities. The theme is to improve connectivity for walking and cycling in and around Ruthin and complement investment in activities to boost its heritage and cultural value. The interventions proposed focus on public realm enhancements, widening the scope for hosting events and revitalising historical buildings and landmarks to support local identity, promote pride of place and boost the image of the town.

Proposed works for Cae Ddol Park which will be delivered under the Levelling Up scheme include a number of small improvements which are designed to work cohesively with other planned improvements from other funding sources, both now and in the future.

Proposed works to Cae Ddol Park in the short term include:

• 480 metres of new active travel route through the park to make walking and cycling easier
• Replacing the central bridge over the river
• A new pump track. A pump track is a leisure/sports facility for wheeled sports equipment including bikes, scooters, skates etc which enables users to gain momentum with a ‘pumping’ motion (i.e. shifting their bodyweight) rather than pedalling or pushing their equipment around the track. The track will have an uneven terrain with ramps, banked curves/turns and mounds.
• Replacing the existing children’s playground (this is being delivered under a Shared Prosperity Fund, not the Levelling Up fund)

Key points

This is a new project to deliver improvements to Cae Ddol Park

The project compliments the restoration of the clock tower in Ruthin and the improvements proposed for St. Peter’s Square

The project is due to be completed by March 2026

Current position

Draft designs have been developed and a public engagement exercise is now underway.

Gallery

Artist impression of an aerial view of Cae Ddol Park with the proposed short-term improvements:

In addition to the short-term works proposed as part of the Levelling Up Fund, the Council has identified a number of other improvements to Cae Ddol Park which could be explored in the future.

These improvements have not been fully designed or costed, and at the moment there are no funding streams available to the Council to undertake any further works on these proposals.

These have been developed into a ‘Masterplan’ for Cae Ddol. This means that any works carried out in Cae Ddol must be sympathetic to the ideas and vision of the masterplan and should not prevent any future works from taking place.

Proposed additions to the park include:

• The creation of an ‘adventure playground’ area
• Creating wetland planting areas in the most flood-prone zones, to support local wildlife
• Additional seating areas and shelters

Artist impression of Cae Ddol Park as viewed from above, with additional structures and features in place:

Consultation

The consultation has closed, thank you very much to everyone who participated.

We received 400 responses which are being reviewed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are you making changes within Cae Ddol?

The ‘Ruthin Future Working Group’ of Ruthin Town Council Town Council, developed and consulted upon a long-term vision for Ruthin which included its green spaces. This work informed the LUF funding application in respect of Cae Ddol.

Are you going to deliver everything that was suggested in the earlier work done by the Ruthin Future Working Group of the Town Council?

No, there isn’t sufficient funding to do everything.

We have prepared two drawings for Cae Ddol, please visit the Gallery section.

The first one relates to all of the facilities suggested for Cae Ddol, and is labelled ‘Long Term Master Plan Vision’.

The second one is labelled Phase 1 Deliverable Master Plan and shows what we propose to deliver through the LUF funding.

Why did you select these particular facilities to be delivered through the Levelling Up Funding?

Denbighshire County Council has entered into a contract with UK Government and has contracted outputs that it needs to achieve.

The scheme selected will enable the Council to deliver against the outputs which include improved cycle ways, improved amenities and landscaped areas of the park.

The Council would like to know whether the items included in the Phase 1 Deliverable Master Plan are what local residents want for the park. You can do this by taking part in the consultation until 12th May 2024. Further details of how to share your views can be found here

I have noticed a reference to an Inclusive ‘play for all’ playground’ on the Long-Term Master Plan Vision’. What is this?

The existing play area is to be upgraded to an accessible play area and will include a range of equipment suited to all abilities.

This project, which is being funded through Shared Prosperity Funding, is being progressed by Denbighshire County Council’s Highways Department, and will be delivered during the summer of 2024.

Further to the recent press coverage, why are you including improvements to the outside of the toilets, if there is a doubt about their future?

The project has an output to achieve in respect of improvements to the toilet block. As no decisions have been made yet in respect of public toilets, we have decided that this needs to be included within the project until a decision is made. At that point we will have clarity and can speak with the funders if necessary. We can confirm that we will only invest in the toilets if the facility is to be maintained.

Were you aware that the Cae Ddol is part of the Ruthin Castle Registered Historic Park & Garden?

Yes. We have already had preliminary discussions with Denbighshire County Council’s conservation officer and Cadw, to ensure that what is proposed is acceptable development within the park.

I notice that the active travel route appears to be quite close to the very large oak tree near the lake. Were you aware that all of the trees in Cae Ddol are covered by a tree protection order?

Yes, we are aware of the tree protection order and have already had discussions with Denbighshire County Council’s tree officer in respect of the proposals, and in particular the proximity of the active travel route to the oak tree. We are aware of the size of the root protection zone, and the proposed route will be sited as far from the tree as possible, and the construction methodology adopted will avoid any damage to the roots.

How will you avoid any harm to the ecology of the park

A preliminary ecological assessment has been carried out and we are aware of the species present. The proposed works will be impact assessed during the detailed design phase, and the design will reflect the findings to ensure that no damage is caused. We will also look at opportunities to enhance the ecology of the park through the works undertaken.

In the winter and during wet spells, parts of the park are either sodden underfoot or flooded. Will the works that you are doing improve this?

No, it is important that areas of the park continue to be wet and flooded during extreme weather as this helps to protect neighbouring properties.

Will the raised levels of the pump track proposed cause any issues in respect of flooding?

We have had preliminary discussions with Natural Resources Wales and understand that any raised levels need to be compensated for elsewhere in the park. This would be reviewed at the detailed design stage.

In the summer the river nearly dries up at times and the water level drops in the lake which can make it look unsightly. Will the works proposed enable the levels within the lake to be maintained?

No, the lake is currently filled from the river, and we are not planning for any works that would alter the flow of water into the lake. Even if the weir was made higher, which would require significant modelling work, this would not ensure that the level of the water within the lake was maintained.

Are you replacing any of the bridges

Just the central bridge, with one that is wider with better handrails and suitable for pedestrians and cyclists.