Oak Plantation & Lord Derby Memorial Playing Fields

Facilities
-
Accessibility
Informal unsurfaced paths only
Contact
Knowsley Council: 0151 489 6000
Oak Plantation lies north of the Hillside Estate in Huyton and includes mature broadleaf woodland, plus an area of meadowland, adjoining Lord Derby's Memorial Playing Fields. A woodland walk loops off Knowsley Lane through the site, with access points near to the junctions of Stockbridge Lane and Newark Close.

Historical maps dating back to 1850 show a belt of woodland named Oak Plantation, slightly north of the woodland's present day extent, which only appears on maps dated 1893, where it is referred to as Jackson's Belt. Maps appear to indicate the some of this woodland was cleared for a playing field around the 1960s-70s. This area was ultimately abandoned, leaving it to develop into the meadowland habitat we see today.

In 1972-74, the M57 was constructed through this woodland, isolating most of the original woodland to the north from the relatively younger 'Jackson's Belt' to the south of the motorway. It is the latter that makes up present day Oak Plantation, which remains as the publicly accessible portion for the community to enjoy.