In the latter half of the 20th century the site had become derelict, used for fly-tipping and was a place for anti-social behaviour. In the 1990s, a developer’s second planning application was challenged by a local Amenity Society. The latter (now constituted as the Letcombe Brook [Wantage] Charitable Trust) applied for change of use to a park. The consequent planning appeal for housing failed, resulting in purchase of the land by the Trust. This was made possible through a generous grant from the Vale of White Horse District Council and a loan from a local supporter.
There were two principal aims of the Trust, the body which oversaw the site’s enhancement. These were to create an area open for public use 24/7/364, which would improve the river corridor through the conservation of semi-natural woodland, the creation of connected glades and open spaces, and to integrate these with a celebration of the life and work of John Betjeman, who lived in the town for over twenty years.
Management of Betjeman Millennium Park conforms to a professionally prepared plan, which is reviewed and adjusted as required in consultation with the District Council’s Tree Officer, a renowned arboricultural consultant, a local wildflower supplier, members of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust, as well as the adjacent landowners and Park users.
Members of the local community have been actively involved in many aspects of the Park’s development and its ongoing maintenance. Volunteers come together to collect litter and sweep leaves, plant bulbs, wildflowers and trees, cut the grass, guide visitors and carry out fundraising activities. The Park is now used for a wide range of purposes, both formal and informal, by a diversity of individuals and local organisations. These uses include drama productions, jazz concerts and poetry recitals as well as foraging for edible plants and visits by local schools. It is a tranquil place where people come to relax.
The park is within view of John Betjeman’s one-time home. The glades and open spaces were enriched by the installation of six specially sculpted plaques containing a selection of his poetry. Educational facilities for 15 local schools are also facilitated by three permanent exhibits. These have been grant-aided by the Heritage Lottery Fund as part of a three year project and have three linked themes: the life and works of John Betjeman, ‘Mother Nature’ and ‘A Sense of Place’. The vegetation of the park was diversified through the planting of a wide range of native trees and shrubs such as small leaved lime, spindle, hazel and dogwood. Thanks to the ecological and cultural improvements made by the Trust, the Betjeman Millennium Park continues to grow in popularity with local people and visitors alike.
