Campaigners want woodland in Market Drayton to be 'community owned' after plans rejected
Campaigners have revealed hopes to take over ownership of Damson Wood after plans to expand a business park into the beloved woodland were refused.
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Residents in Market Drayton are celebrating after the proposals to expand Tern Valley Business Park and build three homes on part of the adjacent land were rejected earlier this month.
Elliot Powell who lives by the woodland set up the Save Damson Wood campaign group in 2020, opposing plans that were lodged for a residential development of 97 houses on the land.
And, three years after they were abandoned, fresh plans were submitted by landowner the Healey Estate for three affordable properties, but campaigners hit back at the plans which included a new woodland that would come at the expense of Damson Wood.
After the most recent plans were refused earlier this month, Elliot has revealed the group's aims for the future, but says they have received 'no response' from the land's owners.
"The love of that land is more than anyone could purchase," said the campaigner.
Adding: "We have got a massive plan going forward. It's alright saving something but then what happens, it's going to be sat there.
"We ideally want to own it ourselves and have it community owned.
"We're trying to reach out to the land owners, but we've had a dead end.
"We want to purchase the land and come to some sort of agreement where they are happy and we are happy. We would invest the time and be a charity and have it registered as a nature reserve.
"We would have a volunteer programme as well where people could plant seeds or flowers. We want to build ponds, have some habitat and bird boxes, there’s so much we want to do with that land going forward."
After a further set of plans being lodged after original proposals were refused in 2020, Elliot added that he is cautious to say their campaign work could be over.
He added: "We can never be naive and think that it won't come back again.
"They have tried housing development and that was rejected and now an extension on the industrial units. How many times do they need to try and push an agenda through."
The campaign group leader says he has put 'any spare time' alongside working for His Majesty's Prison Service (HMPS) into their objections.
Elliot explained how tough it has been, saying: "I'm so passionate about saving it. I know how much it is used by the local community and I didn't think it should have been built on.
"It’s been hard, and I've had sleepless nights over it. A lot of worry and a lot of stress because you never know how these things are going to turn out.
"It's been a hard battle but I'm grateful that we've had the outcome that we wanted."
