Paving the way for Anston

ANSTON residents now have a new all weather path linking a primary school with a local amenity.

The 216 metre path connects North Anston and gives safe access to Colliery Park, the former Dinnington pit site, which is used an a recreation area by many local people.

The path, which goes from Edinburgh Drive, will allow everyone, especially families, to access the site in all weathers.

The idea for the scheme came from local residents and Coun Judy Dalton, borough councillors for Anston and Woodsetts.

Coun Dalton said: “I am absolutely delighted to see this path in operation.”

“The idea came from local residents and thanks to some great partnership working between the authority and other agencies we now have a new footpath that gives Anston residents easy access to the marvellous views from the top of the old pit site.”

Len Fowkes, who has been campaigning for the route on behalf of Anston residents, said: “This footpath is the result of some excellent joined-up thinking and action.”

“The Greenlands estate has never had a proper direct path onto the reclaimed coal mine tip. But thanks to the sterling efforts of Rotherham Council, the Forestry Enterprise and many others, a splendid new facility has now been created.”

The scheme was delivered by the authority’s Rights of Way Team using funds raised by local people through the Connect 2 project. The path runs over land owned by Rotherham Council and provides a key link between existing paths over land managed by Forestry Commission England and through council-owned woodland. Council teams worked together on gaining approval for the new route and the delivery of the scheme.