Company assures parish over woodland conservation (From Stroud News and Journal)

Company assures parish over woodland conservation

FEARS that Frith Wood in Bussage may be developed have been laid to rest by its owners.

Parish anxiety has been simmering since a last-ditch attempt to have the remaining 15 acres of woodland owned by Cheltenham-based developers declared common land by the county council failed.

Simon Green, the resident who applied for the status change, called it "the last barrier to development gone".

But this week Hitchins' legal head Anne Balchin told the SNJ: "I've never heard it seriously suggested that the company should do anything other than keep it as amenity woodland."

Residents worries have however tested the company's goodwill.

"There have been times when the company or people within it have got irritated with the pestering about it," said Miss Balchin.

"There are no plans to build houses there."

And responding to fears that Hitchins may sell the land to another developer because of the politically sensitive nature of potential development, she added: "I've never heard it suggested that it should be sold either.

"There are no plans in the company at the moment to do anything with Frith Wood other than to manage it."

She explained the company would be talking to the parish council in the next year or 18 months to consider a programme of improvements to the woodland to help conserve it.

This may include restricting access to designated footpaths to protect the floor cover of the wood.

The decision not to grant common land status to the woodland is likely to be formalised by county council in April.

Frith Wood is all that remains of around 170 acres given outline planning permission for residential development in 1965, the majority of which became the Manor Estate.

In November last year the parish council was handed five acres of the wood in a deal between Hitchins and the council.