During 2010 Newlands is continuing to create new green space for people, wildlife and business across the North West.
Newlands is the Northwest land regeneration programme which transforms brownfield into economically and socially viable community woodland. From a £1.78million investment into a project in Southport, the creation of a new community woodland in Rochdale, Newlands continues to have a significant impact on the region.
LIVIA, Bury Newlands added 73ha to the original LIVIA project area in Bury, Greater Manchester in early 2009, with the announcement of £3.8million to transform an area of brownfield land in the Prestwich area of the Borough.
The site had previously been home to bleach and dye works, chemical tip, various farming operations, excavation arisings and a smallpox hospital. Newlands is seeking to transform the area, and help to attract business investment and visitors to the area, as well as benefiting homeowners overlooking the site who should benefit from the developments over time through an increase in property values.
- Investment: £8.5million
- Size: 170ha
- Project partners: NWDA, Forestry Commission, Salford City Council, Bury Council, Groundwork, Red Rose Forest
Belfield, Rochdale. 
This brownfield site links a number of communities close to Rochdale town centre in Greater Manchester. By developing a number of paths, bridleways and cycle paths, outdoor play and classroom facilities and a fishing lodge, as well as considerable environmental management, the site has been transformed from a ‘no-go’ area into a well-used community asset.
- Investment:An NWDA investment of £1.75million. Additional funding has been provided by Biffaward and ERDF
- Size: 28ha
- Project partners: NWDA, Forestry Commission, Rochdale MBC (site owners), Groundwork Oldham and Rochdale and Pennine Edge Forest
- Key deliverables: community park, outdoor classroom, football pitch, fishing lodge, wetland area, cycle, foot and bridle paths and gateway features
Brockholes, Preston. Brockholes, is a former quarry site close to the M6 in Preston. Adam Khan Architects have been selected as the scheme’s designers, following their submission of ‘A Floating World’; a design for the visitor centre that includes a community of floating buildings, making the most of the site’s wetland habitat. The site and visitor facilties are to be developed over the next two to three years.
- Investment: £8.8million (an initial investment of £800,000 was made by the NWDA to purchase the site, and £8million of regeneration funding was confirmed for the site in March 2009)
- Size: 106ha of brownfield land, and an additional 66ha of existing semi-natural ancient woodland make up the Brockholes project area.
- Project partners: NWDA, Forestry Commission, Lancashire Wildlife Trust (site owners and managers)
Town Lane, Southport, comprises two former landfills and unmanaged grasslands located to the south east of the town centre, Southport General Hospital and an area listed in the top 70th percentile of National Index of Multiple Deprivation.
Town Lane is also working within the region’s red squirrel zone, and Newlands will work towards the protection and preservation of these endangered species. Work on Town Lane has included the large scale recycling of waste sand from a local extraction company, which has been turned into a growing medium on site.
- Investment: £1.78million investment from the NWDA, £225,000 from The Mersey Forest (via EU Objective One funding)
- Size: 26ha of brownfield land
- Project partners: NWDA, Forestry Commission, Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council, Mersey Basin Campaign, Environment Agency, The Mersey Forest, BTCV and Groundwork Merseyside
