The Land Trust invites expressions of interest for managing agent at Northumberlandia and Weetslade Country Park

The Land Trust is tendering for a managing agent at Northumberlandia and Weetslade Country Park, with a new contract starting from November 2024.

Northumberlandia, just to the west of Cramlington in Northumberland, is a unique piece of public art set in a 19ha community park, with free public access and 4 miles of footpaths on and around the landform. The centrepiece of the park is Northumberlandia, a stunning human landform sculpture of a reclining lady. Made of 1.5 million tonnes of rock, clay and soil, the landform is 100 feet high and a quarter of a mile long. There is a small visitor centre/café with associated toilets, a large car park with disabled spaces and an electric car charging point. There is a woodland walk designed to connect visitors to nature.

Weetslade Country Park, south of Dudley in North Tyneside, covers approximately 40ha and lies partially on a former colliery pit heap. As an old colliery spoil heap, it is a prominent hill within an essentially low-lying landscape, the highest point being 95m above sea and featuring a distinctive artwork reflecting the site’s mining heritage. The site incorporates conservation grasslands together with limited mature and more extensive recently planted scrub and woodland in a mosaic across the hill. At the foot of the slopes to the west side of the park lie three wetlands. A network of paths and bridleways run through the park and over the hill facilitating access for walkers, cyclists and horse riders and there is a small car park on the south-east edge of the site, as well as two picnic sites and associated amenity grassland.

The managing partner should provide a named point of contact for the public for each site and has the following responsibilities:

• Deliver the requirements of the Site Management Plan
• Ensure the site is well managed and maintained
• Manage their staff and recruit and support volunteers on the site
• Procure goods and services for the site
• Monitor quality and standards associated with all service delivery
• Develop, engage, consult and support Friend’s groups, user/interest groups and local communities to get involved in the park
• Develop an events strategy and run an annual programme of events, working closely with the Land Trust communications team will be an essential part of this role
• Develop an education programme, liaising with schools and youth organisations etc. to ensure an appropriate fit for each site
• Respond to day-to-day enquiries and complaints from the public
• Work with partner organizations involved in the site at a local and strategic level
• Ensure the health and safety of users and service providers, including addressing policy requirements such as accident reporting and monitoring
• Work within requirements of specified policies and regulations for example; Freedom of Information Act, Data Protection, Land Trust’s Health and Safety Policy and Communications Protocol
• Maintain comprehensive records including auditable financial records of income and expenditure
• Deliver, collect, collate and report on Land Trust’s Charitable Key Performance Indicators which are: to improve the health and wellbeing of the community, provide education and a learning resource, support economic prosperity, encourage community cohesion and enhance the natural environment.

The managing agent will be appointed through a 10-year termed Management Agreement, which will be the subject of an annual review.

Please confirm in writing by 10 July 2024 if you would be interested in submitting a tender for this contract.

Please email iankendall@thelandtrust.org.uk with your interest, or if you have any further questions.