'You can't put a forest there, the trees will block the view': Objector slams plans for new woodland

Forestry England has announced that it is consulting on a plan to plant trees on 54 hectares of land near the village of Picklescott in the Shropshire Hills.

Bill Kerswell, who moved to Church Stretton at the end of the war in 1945 and has lived in Picklescott, first in 1946 and then uninterrupted since 1958, is up in arms about the plan.

"They are taking good farmland to plant trees," said Mr Kerswell who also objects to having the landscape altered. "It should be stopped."

Mr Kerswell also objects because he won't have the same views of the Lawley, Caradoc and The Wrekin that he and many other people are used to.

"They want to put up a big bl**** forest there but there is a lot of value in the landscape as it is," he said.

Mr Kerswell was himself a Shropshire Councillor in the 1970s and 1980s and knows his way around the system.

He has already taken up cudgels with his new MP, Stuart Anderson, and intended to have his say at a gathering of the parish council and at a consultation event organised by Forestry England.

He has called on others to attend and have their say too.

Mr Kerswell said it is a "major development" which will change the landscape in a big way but "does not have to go through planning."

"It is really serious," he said. "I am opposed to planting trees on good farmland.

"They should put them on the slopes of Long Mynd instead.

"There is plenty of low grade land that can be used but not good food production land, we need that."

The woodland will be planted with a mixture of broadleaf and conifer tree species, chosen to match local soil types and expected future climate conditions.

It will be managed by Forestry England to provide sustainably-grown timber for the nation and improve habitats for wildlife.

A spokesperson for Forestry England flatly denied that the land being used is the best quality.

"Forestry England understands concerns around food security and keeping the best land in agricultural production," said the spokesperson.

"Our woodland creation programme seeks to avoid the most productive land, grades one and two.

"The land at Picklescott is graded at three and four.

"All landowners choose how they should best manage their land to suit their business."

The organisation also says it has clearly heard that views towards The Lawley, Caer Cradoc and the Wrekin are important from Picklescott.

"Where possible, our design will frame and enhance existing views and we will establish open spaces between the new woodland and key viewpoints," said the spokesperson.

"We will design our woodland carefully to maintain the views into the surrounding countryside.

"Where there are key views from properties or public footpaths, we have left open space and have shrub planting at the edges of the woodland for visual diversity.

"We will have more broadleaf trees in these areas because they are shorter than some conifers, generally live longer and need managing less often."

The organisation is creating new woodlands which it sayswill capture carbon, restore and connect habitats, enhance biodiversity, supply sustainable, homegrown timber and be great places for people to enjoy.

"Sites are individually and carefully assessed so they are suitable for woodland creation and sensitive to the local landscape.

"This assessment considers the existing land use, and we target lower-quality or less productive land to create new woodlands."

They added: "Currently the UK imports over 80 per cent of its timber and we are more reliant on imported timber than imported food. 40 per cent of food is imported."

Mr Kerswell is also concerned about the "badly potholed" roads around Picklescott and whether the movement of vehicles into the forest will create "traffic chaos."

The new woodland will be a ‘Coronation Wood’, one of several new woods which will be created around the country to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III.

Forestry England’s draft designs are available to view and comment upon online until Sunday August 11.

A public consultation event will be held on Tuesday July 30 at Picklescott Village Hall, Picklescott, Church Stretton, SY6 6NT.

Residents are invited to drop in anytime between 4pm and 7pm to view the proposed designs and speak to a member of Forestry England staff.