03 December 2025
The Green Flag Award England is delighted to announce the winner of this year’s prestigious 'Best Promotion of Heritage Value' category: Aberdeenshire Council for the spectacular restoration and redevelopment of Aden Country Park in Mintlaw.
The Green Flag Award England is delighted to announce the winner of this year’s prestigious 'Best Promotion of Heritage Value' category: Aberdeenshire Council for the spectacular restoration and redevelopment of Aden Country Park in Mintlaw.
This recognition celebrates the ambitious £2.13 million Aden Restoration and Redevelopment Project—supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF)—which successfully transformed and conserved the park’s rich cultural, architectural, archaeological and natural assets, ensuring its legacy for future generations.
A vision of conservation and engagement
The project was driven by a clear vision: to enhance, promote, and conserve Aden’s unique heritage while creating a sustainable, high-quality visitor destination. The success lies in the department’s ability to weave the park’s past—particularly its story of farming from the North East of Scotland—into every visitor experience.
The main strands of the project delivered an outstanding blend of physical conservation and interpretive innovation:
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Conservation of key structures: Stabilisation and protection of heritage features including the Mansion House, Gardener’s Cottage and Coach House.
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Archaeological discovery: Uncovering and interpreting significant sites, including a Neolithic enclosure and 19th and 20th-century trenches.
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Interpretation and learning: The development of a new visitor information centre, films, dedicated website content, and establishing Archaeology, estate, agricultural heritage and nature Trails.
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Environmental enhancement: Restoration of the lake and mill pond to enhance habitat and biodiversity.
Crucially, the team established formal learning programmes and created outdoor learning classrooms to complement the curriculum for excellence, ensuring the heritage value is actively used for education.
Increased access and overwhelming impact
The strategic investment in Aden has yielded impressive results, validating the project's vision of creating a park for all people, health and community.
Record visitor growth
Since the completion of the main capital works, Aden Country Park has seen a significant surge in popularity. Annual visitor numbers have jumped from an average of 308,000 to over 440,000 per year—a remarkable increase that reflects the park's elevated status as a regional destination.
Enhanced accessibility
A core focus was ensuring the park is accessible to everyone. This involved upgrading the Arrival Courtyard, improving the path network to establish wider circulatory routes, and critically, installing new Changing Places facilities. This accessibility work received powerful feedback from visitors:
"The new changing places facilities are a much-needed addition. I remember arriving in Aden in the past and not long after arriving my disabled son needed the toilet and as there wasn’t a hoist, we had to go back home. Now that these facilities have been introduced, we will be able to enjoy the park to its fullest!"
Community pride
The positive feedback extended across all elements of the project, including the new multi-generational play park and the unique educational opportunities. One Head Teacher noted: "To provide the children with such an extensive ‘hands on’ learning experience virtually on our doorstep is invaluable."
Through ongoing engagement, volunteering opportunities, and transparent communication via the park's dedicated "Developments" website page, the team has ensured that the park truly reflects its past, serves its community, and benefits its environment.
Congratulations to Aberdeenshire Council and all the community partners for this outstanding achievement in promoting heritage value!
