I explore Liverpool’s newest parkland and discover wildlife eco-haven with amazing views

Situated just three miles south of Liverpool city centre, Southern Grasslands is the largest transformed green space opened in Liverpool in the 21st century and is almost five times as big as Chavasse Park in Liverpool ONE.

Opened in August 2023, the unique 24-acre recreational area has been created as a result of a massive remediation programme to lay the foundations for a new housing scheme at the nearby Festival Gardens development zone.

More than 400,000 cubic metres of soil and waste was removed from the Festival Gardens development zone, land that was used as a public waste deposit facility for more than 30 years. More than 95% of this material has been recycled, including 100,000 cubic metres of earth, which has created this eco-haven for wildlife.

The green space, which rises by more than 30 feet to provide views of the city centre and River Mersey, also features more than 5,700 new trees and shrubs as well as 2km of walking paths near the shoreline.

The planting here involved the formation of new areas of woodland and meadow to create new habitats to enrich the biodiversity in this unique coastal environment. This includes wildlife corridors to boost the population of insects, butterflies and bees.

Situated just a ten minute walk to St Michael's train station, Southern Grassland also contains a series of new public benches and picnic tables with fantastic views of the River Mersey.

• Watch the video to join me as I explore Southern Grasslands.