Re-development of old Visitor Centre Site Sherwood Forest

After the opening of a new visitor centre in August 2018 work soon began on the re-development of the old visitor centre site to create a haven for birds and wildlife.

A key challenge in the remediation of the site was the protection of the ancient trees and other features of ecological importance within this Special Area of Conservation. In conjunction with Delta-Simons, HWA drew up an environmental management and demolition specification plan in which heavy duty protection mats, layered with sand and geotextile separator fabric, were used to protect the tree roots along with temporary fencing to protect the trees themselves. Careful removal of the 1970’s buildings and car park areas was then carried out under our supervision by the Contractor, Robert Woodhead Ltd and native soil imported from the nearby Thoresby Estate was placed in areas where hardstanding had been removed. The site was formally handed over to the RSPB in August 2019.