PARWICH.ORG

The Peak District National Park Authority is to sell a number of woodlands.

Six initial sites have been selected  –  Coronation Plantation, Nabb’s Quarry Wood, Newhaven Plantation, Shay Bends Wood, Slack Hall Wood and Wetton Wood.

Jane Chapman, assistant director at the Peak District National Park Authority, said: “Following a review of our properties, we have identified six woodlands to be sold now, with a similar number to follow later in the year.

“Having established or improved these woods – often by reclaiming former rubbish tips or quarry sites – then protected and maintained them over many years, we have fulfilled our primary objective as a national park. We now want to return these natural assets to the community, as we are reducing our liabilities at a time of budget reductions and would like to make the best possible use of the resources we have.

“The sales will allow us to focus on the protection, improvement and maintenance of our remaining woodlands.”

The Authority currently manages 120 woodlands, covering approximately 443 hectares of land. The portfolio has been acquired since the designation of the national park, with the aim of securing important landscape features, rescuing woodlands which were deemed to be under threat or in need of restoration. They were also acquired as part of major estates.

The first six woodlands to be sold are:

Coronation Plantation, Leadmill, nr Hathersage (1.14 hectares)
Bought in early 1970s by what was then the Peak Park Joint Planning Board to ‘maintain landscape stability’.

Nabb’s Quarry Wood, Wildboarclough area of SW Peaks ( 0.44ha)
Reclaimed from quarry land in early 1970s.

Newhaven Plantation, Newhaven on A515 (1.8ha)
Bought in 2005, partially felled and replanted.

Shay Bends Wood, on A623 Baslow to Calver road (0.8ha)
Woodland on banks of River Derwent.

Slack Hall Wood, nr Chapel-en-le-Frith on road to Winnats Pass (3.1ha)
Recent cutting completed at roadside site to pre-empt future traffic issues.

Wetton Wood, above village of Wetton, North Staffs (0.16ha)
Former rubbish tip, now walled and established broadleaf and conifer woodland.

The selling agents for the woodlands are Fisher German, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, tel 01530 412821.