Colchester City Council

Westlands Country Park covers an area of approximately 16 hectares of woodland and grassland with a play area. Owned by Essex County Council (ECC) with day to day management by Colchester City Council under lease. The site is ex-landfill. Westlands Country Park officially opened to the public in August 2007.

Westlands Country Park site information (PDF, 1.62MB)

How to get there

By foot: there are three pedestrian entrances, one off James Carter Road, two leading to the track linking Maldon Road and Stanway Green on the western boundary.

By bike: Colchester by bike map

By road: 1 mile west of the centre of Colchester via Maldon Road and Straight Road with an entrance from James Carter Road (off Straight Road) CO3 4RN. No official parking area is provided for the site, some limited local parking maybe available on James Carter Road.

Opening times

All day, every day.

Facilities and access

Easy access trail around the perimeter of the country park.
Play zone (fenced) near to the James Carter Road entrance.
Access through the country park to Stanway Green and Gosbeck’s Archaeological Park and the Roman River Valley.

History, vegetation and wildlife

Created on the site of the former Shrubend landfill, the site is owned by Essex County Council and run in partnership with Colchester City Council (CCC). Following closure of the landfill operation the site was capped and planted with trees in three phases between 1998 and 2002. In 2007 the Friends of Westland Country Park was formed, with the aim to protect and enhance the wildlife and amenity of the country park.

The park was officially opened in August 2007. The Friends of Westland Country Park were instrumental in raising funds for the play equipment located in the country park. After the successful raising of funds the group disbanded with work being delivered by Colchester City Council after installation.

Along the western edge of the site runs a scheduled ancient monument, part of the Kidman’s Dyke North and Middle: part of the Iron Age territorial oppidum of Camulodunum.

Essex County Council operate a comprehensive programme to monitor and control pollution, and gas is collected, converted into energy then fed into the national power network. Gas collection is located in a secure compound on the west of the site.

In early summer Common Vetch, Grass Vetchling and Meadow Vetchling can be seen, later in the season Bird’s-foot-trefoil, and Tufted Vetch appear. In areas of disturbed soil Bristly Ox-tongue and Teasel are common. Roesel’s Bush-cricket and Meadow Grasshopper can be heard in late summer. The trees have established well with the Hazel becoming mature enough to produce hazel nuts. The Oaks play host to all manner of insects including gall wasp larva, look out for Spangle Galls on the underside of Oak leaves. The Field Maple and Cherry leaves add colour to the site in autumn. Common lizard have been recorded on site in recent years.

Birds seen across the site vary throughout the year, with Skylark singing in the summer months, Kestrel can be seen hunting over the grassland. Other passerine species can be found with Coal tit having bred over a number of years. Through the winter the site attracts Red poll and Sisken, both being seed feeders they seek out the Silver birch and Alder trees. Tawny owl has been heard over night, during Moth evenings with the Essex Moth Group.

Grassland management operates on a number of levels, a large area is cut for recreational use. Approximately two to three hectares of grassland is cut each year during the autumn on a rotational basis, arisings left on site to provide refuge for reptiles and other wildlife. The main paths, tracks and boundary fences on site are managed by ECC with other areas managed by CCC.

Trees originally planted with the aid of a Forestry Commission grant are well established with a long term view to create an appropriate woodland management programme of works.

Our work

Work to deliver the management plan is done with the help of volunteers and contractors under the leadership of the countryside ranger team. As this unique site develops it is hoped the place will become more rich with wildlife and provide a peaceful, beautiful space for visitors to enjoy.

Management on the woodland, grassland and scrub areas is delivered to create good quality habitat, creating diverse age and structure for wildlife to utilise across the site. Control of the non-native Goat’s rue takes place by cutting and pulling. Long term plans are to investigate the feasibility of using chemicals to control this plant as it dominates the grassland flora and is widespread, to the detriment of other plant species.

Colchester Natural History Society lead events here with the countryside ranger team. From moth evenings to bat walks and more general wildlife events, they guide walks across the city. More information on their events can be found through their website.