Most of us have probably never heard of the Colne Valley Regional Park – and that is part of the problem.
But it really is one of our area’s greatest natural assets.
Stretching for around 45 square miles from near Watford towards us, the Park is a patchwork of lakes, rivers, meadows, woodland and farmland. Here in the Windsor constituency, it includes Runnymede Meadows, the National Trust land around Ankerwycke, and much of the green space between Wraysbury, Horton, Colnbrook, Langley and Heathrow.
It is a vital green artery separating our communities from London.
But much of the land in our part of the Park is fragmented and could benefit from some serious TLC – and I’ve been trying to do my bit.
With the Manor Farm Data Centre due to be built between Colnbrook and Horton in Poyle, there is an opportunity to secure investment in the surrounding landscape and create something much better: linking the Arthur Jacobs Nature Reserve, Poyle Poplars and the villages more broadly with high-quality, accessible green space.
That’s what I met Stuart from the Colne Valley Regional Park team to discuss, alongside Cllrs Dexter Smith and Puja Bedi.
There is huge potential here. New development should not simply mean more buildings; it should also help improve the environment and infrastructure around them, creating lasting benefits for the communities that already live here.
I’m encouraged by the positive engagement, and I’ll continue working with neighbouring MPs, local councillors, the Colne Valley Regional Park and other partners to make sure this remarkable landscape gets the attention – and investment – it deserves
