Huge urban rewilding plans for Allestree Park in Derby

Allestree Park in Derby as it currently looks

A 320-acre city park, which played home to a former golf course, will become one of the UK's largest urban rewilding projects if plans are approved.

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust (DWT) hopes to create new habitats at Allestree Park, such as wetland, scrubland, and community orchards.

DWT said rewilding urban environments was "more important than ever, with the climate and nature crisis worsening".

Derby City Council will consider the plans next week.

Species like water voles and deer may be introduced

If the proposals are approved, DWT will work with the University of Derby, the community and the council to rewild Allestree, which is the city's largest park.

Species like water voles may also be reintroduced, along with deer, red-backed shrike birds, dormice and harvest mice.

The move comes as world leaders are being urged to commit to reduce global warming at the COP26 summit meeting in Glasgow.

The project is described as a "big moment for Derby"

Dr Jo Smith, CEO of DWT, said: "This is a big moment for Derby - an opportunity for the city to lead the way on creating vital wild spaces within urban environments.

"It's more important than ever before, with the climate and nature crisis worsening.

"Rewilding Allestree Park would mean starting to reconnect vital habitats for wildlife throughout the city, it would mean more carbon is stored - directly helping to reduce the climate crisis - and it would mean people... have a beautiful, wild and natural space to visit, which we know is crucial to wellbeing."

Professor Alastair Driver, director of Rewilding Britain, said he thought Derby would inspire many other places

Rewilding sees ecosystems restored and sometimes species reintroduced.

The idea is eventually habitats manage themselves.

As well as the rewilding plans, there are proposals for a raised mountain bike trail and zip wires.

There are plans for paths and cycle tracks in the park

Jerry Pearce, a Derby councillor, said: "The park is going to look unbelievable.

"We have seen the plans in our cabinet roles.... there is the rewilding of the park itself, more trees, there are mountain bike trails, walks throughout the park. "

Allestree Hall, which is on the site, will not form part of the project.

The city council hopes to sell the building as a wedding venue after it closed the golf course in 2020.

Professor Alastair Driver, director of Rewilding Britain, said he thought the project would inspire many other cities.