Apedale Community Country Park

Apedale Community Country Park is a large public open space in the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England. What makes the park unusual in the area is its previous incarnation as an opencast mine.

The area has a long history of mining, with the nearby former collieries at Silverdale and Holditch also having being redeveloped for other uses.

The park is considered by administration as a form of compensation to the residents of the area for the large amount of development that has taken place over recent years. The shallow mine at Holditch was redeveloped into a business park and industrial estate, which led to significant capital gains for Staffordshire County Council. The amelioration of the park was part paid for out of these receipts.

Within the park is the Apedale Heritage Centre & adjoining it the Moseley Railway Trust are currently constructing the first phase of a narrow gauge railway extending further into the parkland.

The Country Park is bordered by the communities of Silverdale, Chesterton, Knutton and Cross Heath.

External links

* [http://www.mrt.org.uk/ "Moseley Railway Trust"]
* [http://www.apedale.heritage.cwc.net/ "Apedale Heritage Centre"]