main content New Environmental Centre planned at High Elms

A new environmental education centre is being developed at High Elms Nature Reserve.

Around £560,000 of money earned by the Council for meeting tough service improvements is being used to create a new building on the site of the existing visitors’ centre.

Due to open early in 2007, subject to planning approval, the building will include a number of environmentally-friendly features.

The project, aptly named BEECHE - Bromley Environmental Education Centre at High Elms - will provide further exciting opportunities if the site were to achieve World Heritage status as a result of the recent application.

The centre will offer services and activities to schools, youth groups, guides, scouts, friends groups, community groups and residents from across the borough. Services currently offered to schools by the Bromley Field Studies Centre in Scadbury Park will move to High Elms allowing school visits to rise from 178 to 300.

Around £60,000 of the funding will be spent by the Field Studies Centre to provide construction craft skills training for Bromley’s 16 to 19-year-old care leavers who are not in education, training or employment. This will take place at Scadbury in the space freed up by BEECHE.

Council Leader Councillor Stephen Carr said: “This development underlines and reinforces the importance of the green character of Bromley. It is good to see we are encouraging all our young people into the outdoors and giving them the opportunity to learn about the importance of their local environment.”

ENDS

Notes to editors: 

• In January 2002 Bromley agreed with government 13 three-year targets, within its ‘Local Public Service Agreement’. The successful delivery of this agreement in 2005 has earned the Council £5.7 million of reward grant, which is being used to fund service improvements. The BEECHE project is one of the Council initiatives that bid successfully to be funded in this way. 

• For media enquiries, please contact Susie Clark, Communications Officer, on 020 8461 7911, or email susie.clark@bromley.gov.uk 
• Further information is available at www.bromley.gov.uk