A TEST Valley village has won the Green Flag Award for the 15th year in a row.
Valley Park, between Chandler's Ford and Romsey, has scooped the prize each year since 2009.
The award is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces and was won by three areas across Test Valley. War Memorial Park in Romsey and Rooksbury Mill Local Nature Reserve in Andover also won.
Cllr Alan Dowden, chairman of Valley Park Parish Council and borough council ward member, thanked the Friends of the Park volunteers for their hard work in maintaining Valley Park Woodlands.
He said: “As the Valley Park Parish Council chairman I feel very proud to have achieved such a major achievement for such a large housing development.
“It has been achieved because of the excellent work of the Test Valley Borough Council woodland officers who have also been well supported by a large number of local residents who belong to an organisation called Friends of the Park who volunteer their time working in the woodlands planting replacement trees, coppicing and clearing areas working with woodland officers.
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“The Valley Park Parish Council and the borough councillors for Valley Park have also offered financial support.
“Valley Park parish is also known for its notorious floral displays has won numerous awards. It was also stated in a national newspaper it was one of the best places to live for families.”
Cllr Terese Swain, Test Valley Borough Council portfolio holder for community, leisure and tourism, said: “We are very proud of our green spaces in Test Valley, and they are well used by our communities. These three parks have consistently achieved the coveted green flag status for more than ten years and the news that they have achieved it once again this year is testament to the hard work and dedication of the council teams and volunteers that care for them.”
Congratulating this year’s winners Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: “Prioritising parks and green spaces is vital for our future, so we are delighted to see that 2,227 sites have met the standards required for a Green Flag Award, reflecting the tireless work of those tasked with looking after these important national assets.
“We know beyond doubt that our local environment contributes to the wellbeing of individuals and communities, with our parks and green spaces recognised as areas where people can come together and be active. Research shows that time spent in green spaces can positively affect mental and physical health, quality of life and a sense of wellbeing.
“We believe the standards expected in the Green Flag Award should be a minimum for every park, and it is our ambition that by 2030 we increase the number of sites achieving Green Flag Award status even further so that people across the world, wherever they live, can access and enjoy safe, high-quality green space.”
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