Sports, parks, and recreation

Sports and recreation facilities

Wokingham Borough has sports facilities at Cantley Park, which is located near the North Wokingham major development area. The new developments will contribute financially to an upgrade of the existing pitches and facilities at Cantley Park and additional tennis courts. Work started on the revamp of facilities in January 2021. Additional funds will go to support the new sports hub in South Wokingham at Gray’s Farm.

Parks and open space

As part of the new development, there will be several new recreational open spaces for residents to enjoy the natural environment. These open spaces will include parks and gardens, public open spaces, children’s play areas, playing pitches, allotments and nature parks (SANGs - Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace.)

(SANGs - Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace), commonly called nature parks, are designed to attract residents and dog walkers as an alternative to the Thames Basin Heath Special Protection Area, which supports rare ground nesting birds such as the dartford warbler, woodlark and nightjar and is highly sensitive to visitors.

In North Wokingham, there will be 4 new nature parks along the A329M, with footpaths, ponds and landscaping. The Kentwood Farm nature park is already open and consists of 4 hectares of open space and a temporary car park. The Matthewsgreen nature park is now open. The Bell Farm nature park, which runs along the A329M, is now open. The Bell Farm nature park, which runs along the A329M, is now open. The footpath between Emmbrook School and Forrest Road is now open.  

The Matthewsgreen neighbourhood will have 2 children’s play areas. The Keephatch Beech development will have an area of allotments and a noise-reducing hill with a fence along the A329M.