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Following an open procurement exercise, the council has appointed Weston-super-Mare based company John West Contractors to carry out the work, including:
- redesigning the park’s main entrance to include additional planting, new seating, installation of a sustainable draining system, re-surfacing and signage
- removing the existing public toilet block
- constructing a new public toilet block, to include an accessible toilet and baby changing facilities, back into the park near the café.
For public safety and to enable the contractor to work efficiently, certain areas of the park will need to close temporarily while this work is being carried out. Some pay and display parking bays within Grove Park car park on Grove Road will also need to be temporarily suspended at times. While the car park will remain open throughout the work, there will be limited parking at times. Signage and barriers will be installed when these closures are necessary. People are being asked to strictly adhere to signage, barrier tape and fencing in place for health and safety reasons.
Councillor Mark Canniford, North Somerset Council's cabinet member for sustainable places and service transformation, said: “It’s great to see the next stage of physical work starting on this project, which will help to draw more people from the town centre to enjoy this beautiful green space. In turn, we hope this will boost footfall and support increased trade in the town.
“It’s a key priority for the council to involve the local community in shaping plans. I was delighted that over 120 people attended the Grove Park Gathering event last summer and to see that those people’s comments fed the plans now being delivered.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused while the work is being carried out but we’re sure people will be very pleased with the improvements once complete.”
Jon Bass, Director, John West Contractors, said: “We at John West Contractors are immensely proud of securing projects of this stature for North Somerset Council. We have a long and established affiliation with both local councils and seeing projects like this being awarded to Weston-super-Mare based contractors not only champions the local supply chain but benefits our directly-employed staff who live in and around the Weston area, and ensures continued enjoyment of the park for many years to come.”
People can find out more about the plans, including detailed drawings, on the council’s website. The planning application reference is 24/P/2162/R3. The application was approved in April 2025. Work is due to complete in 2025.
Designs were shaped by local people, community groups and organisations through engagement led by We Made That, in collaboration with Super Culture. This included a free family-friendly public event – the ‘Grove Park Gathering’ – held in Grove Park in June 2024.
This project is part of North Somerset Council’s ambitious placemaking vision for the town, made possible thanks to its successful bid for £20m from the UK government. Find out more on the council’s website at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/improvingweston.