Moving Mountains

Synopsis: This is a collection of documentary films and interviews charting the important and monumental changes to the local environment achieved by the Planning Team of Stoke-on-Trent City Council in the 20 years from 1968. The film starts with the opening of two films made in the days of coal firing, to give an insight into the obstacles facing the planners. Joe Monks-Neill, architect of some of the major reclamation schemes, sets the scene in the 1960s and explains the tasks undertaken to achieve the reclamation of the many areas of dereliction within the City. Key areas featured are the transformed Hanley Deep Pit site to create Central Forest Park, the Westport Lake scheme, former mineral lines turned into a network of walkways, Park Hall Country Park and the reclamation of the Shelton Bar Iron and Steelworks site to create the National Garden Festival of 1986 then the Festival Park we know today. Archive film, interviews with the key people involved show and tell the impressive story of land reclamation in Stoke-on-Trent to give us the network of green spaces we enjoy today.
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Subjects: Social Studies; History
Keywords: coal industries; environment; film archives; land reclamation; local history; rural areas

Name: Staffordshire Film Archive
Contact: Ray Johnson MBE
Email: ray.johnson@filmarchive.org.uk
Web: http://www.filmarchive.org.uk/index.html External site opens in new window
Phone: 07774 482414
Address: Ray Johnson Productions
P.O. Box 777
Stoke-on-Trent
ST4 8QA
United Kingdom

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