Updated 24 July 2026
Unfortunately the engagement events below have had to be postponed at short notice …
Kings Park Plant Nursery closed in January 2024
The first green shoots of a new future for Kings Park Nursery will be seen this summer, thanks to a partnership between The Parks Foundation charity and BCP Council.
The Council ran an expression of interest process for the former nursery site, and the preferred option was the vision for the site set out by The Parks Foundation together with Grounded Community, a local charity working in Boscombe, to create a community hub, based on food growing and enhancing Kings Park, in Bournemouth.
The Council took the decision to close Kings Park Nursery in January 2024 after it had been operating at a substantial financial loss for several years, and in the face of significant budget pressures and the need to maintain essential services for residents.
Initial plans for this new lease of life include a weed and tidy-up, and to run early-engagement events with the community to help shape the development of a hub focused on food growing and community activity.
The engagement events take place at Kings Park Nursery, Kings Park Drive, Bournemouth BH7 6LR, from 3pm to 7pm on:
- Saturday 25 July 2026
- Sunday 9 August 2026
- Friday 11 September 2026
The Parks Foundation is a charity based in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch dedicated to enhancing parks and open spaces for the benefit of people and wildlife, reconnecting people with nature and bringing diverse communities together.
Previous projects in collaboration with BCP Council have already seen The Parks Foundation enhance open spaces in over 20 locations across the area and run community cafés at locations such as Winton Recreation Ground, Redhill Park, Boscombe Chine Gardens in Bournemouth, and Alexandra Park in Poole.
Grounded Community works with others in the local community to give access to healthy, nutritious food through growing and sharing fruit and vegetables, teaching others how to grow their own food, redistributing food surplus from gardens and businesses, and connecting networks of people who store and share homegrown food.
Cllr Sandra Moore, BCP Council Cabinet Member for Communities and Partnerships, said:
“When we took the difficult financial decision to close Kings Park Nursery we said we were committed to exploring future community uses for the site, and I am thrilled to see this now taking shape with the help of The Parks Foundation.
“Their experience of bringing communities together and enhancing our green spaces makes them an ideal partner to take this much-loved space forward and bring it back into use for local people to enjoy.
“We know how much our residents value their outdoor spaces in BCP, and we’ll continue to closely support this fantastic charity as their plans for Kings Park Nursery develop.”
John Hanson, Chief Executive Officer of The Parks Foundation, said:
“We are excited to share our vision and enthusiasm with the community for what we hope will become a collaborative community hub right in the heart of Kings Park with impact reaching beyond, to help bring people and nature together.
“We’d love to see as many people as possible at our community events over the summer, to hear what’s important to you in Kings Park, and discover how you can be involved in this exciting new project.”
