Sale of Peak Park woodlands a sign of growing "privatisation" of countryside, campaigners say

Sat Aug 19 19:11:14 BST 2017

National Park in privatisation row as it sells woodlands
http://tlio.org.uk/sale-of-peak-district-national-park-woodlands-a-sign-of-growing-privatisation-of-countryside-campaigners-say/
Dean Kirby - Thursday August 17th 2017
Campaigners have hit out at Britains oldest 
national park and the birthplace of the fight for 
countryside access for selling off woodlands to 
the highest bidder. The Peak District National 
Park was formed in 1951 and nearly two decades 
earlier was the scene of the Kinder Scout 
trespass, where ramblers fought with gamekeepers 
in the first battle for the right to roam. Now 
the park authority, which manages more than 100 
woodlands covering 417 hectares, has sold off 14 
woodlands and is currently in the process of 
selling six more. It says anyone can buy the 
woods  including members of the public and 
community groups  and any access rights will 
remain. But campaigners have hit back saying they 
fear the move is a sign of a growing 
privatisation of the countryside. Cat Hobbs 
from We Own It, which wants public services to 
stay in public ownership, said: These beautiful 
woods belong to everyone. Theyre a public asset 
we can all be proud of and enjoy. Selling them 
off for a quick buck is wrong  and it could be a 
slippery slope. The Peak District National Park 
had a duty to safeguard precious public woodland 
for our children and grandchildren. Why is it 
handing over ownership to the highest bidder? 
The park acquired the woodlands when it was 
designated a national park, with the aim of 
securing these important landscape features and 
rescuing woodlands which were under threat or in 
need of restoration. It also took over some 
woodlands as part of countryside estates. The 
park authority says it has restored the woodlands 
is now returning them to the community by 
selling them to reduce its liabilities and make 
the most of our resources. It says anyone can 
buy the woods, from members of public to 
community groups and people who love trees, 
adding that it could be adjacent landowners, but 
it doesnt have to be. Once sold they will stay 
as woodlands and any access rights will remain 
intact, the authority says. It is very easy to 
get rid of access rights But Tony Gosling, from 
land rights campaign group This Land is Ours, 
said: Its ludicrous that land that has been 
available for public use is being sold at a time 
when people are spending more and more of their 
leisure time in the countryside. Saying that the 
land is being given to the community is just 
spin. It could be bought by a foreign investor. 
Even if a covenant is put in place, once land 
becomes privately owned, it is very easy for a 
landowner to get rid of access rights. The six 
woodlands currently being sold include the 
4.7-acre Flagg Moor woodland of sycamore, ash and 
beech trees, near Buxton, which is up for sale at 
£20,000. Another, Jacksons Plantation in the 
Peak Forest, has been sold after being tendered 
at the same price. A spokesman for the Peak 
District National Park said: There are covenants 
in place to ensure the woodlands are maintained 
to protect the wildlife and to prevent 
development. Money raised from the sale of the 
woodlands will be re-invested to look after the 
National Park and help people enjoy it.
Read more at: 
https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/environment/national-park-privatisation-row-sells-woodlands/ 

Sale of Peak Park woodlands is sign of growing 
"privatisation" of countryside, campaigners say
Campaigners have criticised a move to sell off 
woodlands in the Peak District National Park
REPORTER Email Published: 12:44 Friday 18 August 2017 0 HAVE YOUR SAY
http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/environment/sale-of-peak-park-woodlands-is-sign-of-growing-privatisation-of-countryside-campaigners-say-1-8710025
Campaigners have said the sale of woodlands in 
the Peak District National Park is a sign of a 
growing "privatisation" of the countryside. The 
Peak District National Park Authority has already 
sold off 14 woodlands, and is currently in the 
process of selling six more. It says anyone can 
buy the woods  including members of the public 
and community groups  and any access rights will 
remain. But campaigners have hit back saying they 
fear the move is a sign of a growing 
privatisation of the countryside. Cat Hobbs 
from We Own It, which wants public services to 
stay in public ownership, said: These beautiful 
woods belong to everyone. Theyre a public asset 
we can all be proud of and enjoy. Selling them 
off for a quick buck is wrong  and it could be a 
slippery slope. The Peak District National Park 
had a duty to safeguard precious public woodland 
for our children and grandchildren. Why is it 
handing over ownership to the highest bidder? 
The park acquired the woodlands when it was 
designated a national park, with the aim of 
securing these important landscape features and 
rescuing woodlands which were under threat or in 
need of restoration. It also took over some 
woodlands as part of countryside estates. The 
park authority says it has restored the woodlands 
and is now returning them to the community by 
selling them to reduce its liabilities and make 
the most of our resources. It says anyone can 
buy the woods, from members of public to 
community groups and people who love trees, 
adding that it could be adjacent landowners, but 
it doesnt have to be. Once sold they will stay 
as woodlands and any access rights will remain 
intact, the authority says. It is very easy to 
get rid of access rights But Tony Gosling, from 
land rights campaign group This Land is Ours, 
said: Its ludicrous that land that has been 
available for public use is being sold at a time 
when people are spending more and more of their 
leisure time in the countryside. Saying that the 
land is being given to the community is just 
spin. It could be bought by a foreign investor. 
Even if a covenant is put in place, once land 
becomes privately owned, it is very easy for a 
landowner to get rid of access rights. The six 
woodlands currently being sold include the 
4.7-acre Flagg Moor woodland of sycamore, ash and 
beech trees, near Buxton, which is up for sale at 
£20,000. Another, Jacksons Plantation in the 
Peak Forest, has been sold after being tendered 
at the same price. A spokesman for the Peak 
District National Park said: There are covenants 
in place to ensure the woodlands are maintained 
to protect the wildlife and to prevent 
development. Money raised from the sale of the 
woodlands will be re-invested to look after the 
National Park and help people enjoy it.

Read more at: 
http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/environment/sale-of-peak-park-woodlands-is-sign-of-growing-privatisation-of-countryside-campaigners-say-1-8710025 

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