Petitioners gather at Train Wood at the start of Marriott's Way to protest against the sell-off of the land.

Petition launched to stop sale of woodlands at start of Marriott’s Way in Norwich

Tom Bristow Tuesday, March 19, 2013
6:30 AM

A campaign to stop an area of Norwich woodland being auctioned off has gathered 400 supporters in two days.

The petition was launched on Saturday to stop Train Wood at the start of Marriott’s Way, which includes the site of the old city station, being sold by Norfolk County Council.

The council is set to auction the five-hectare site in May, but supporters of the petition want Norwich City Council to take over the site for a nominal fee.

The petition, launched by the Green Party, has called on the county and city councils to work together to keep the woods in public ownership.

Green Party councillor for Mancroft ward Richard Bearman said: “This is a unique place and there are many risks if it is sold off. It could be sold on or not maintained adequately, for example.

“Monitoring it could well cost the city council much more in the long run than agreeing a token price with the county council now.”

The land being sold includes the beginning of the Marriott’s Way, but protections in place mean it cannot be developed.

Cliff Jordan, Cabinet Member for Efficiency, said: “The sale will be subject to the continued free use of the Marriott’s Way path through the site for the benefit and enjoyment of walkers, cyclists and horse riders and will be conditional on the purchaser maintaining the existing path to a standard to allow the passage over it by its users.

“We have already been contacted by one community interest group about the site and I would urge any others to contact us if they may be interested in the property.

“I’m keen to see the auction proceed in May as the management of this site is not a County Council function, and the sale will give all interested parties the chance to bid on the site in an open and transparent manner”

Alan Waters, city council cabinet member for finance, said he was satisfied that enough protections were already in place on the land.

He said: “It is an exaggeration to imagine that if somebody bought it from the county council that housing developments or businesses would appear on it.”

Mr Waters ruled out the city council buying the land, stating the authority did not want the costs of maintaining it.

6 comments

Response to John Smith - are you aware of Lib Dem Minister of State for Agriculture & Food, David Heath MP 's statement to the House of Commons, "publicly owned forests will stay in public hands...access to our woods...will be maintained and improved, particularly those close to towns and cities where the greatest number of people can enjoy them...the aim is not only to restore woodlands to their former glory, but to protect them for generations to come".

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Joyce

Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Its been an amenity and should stay one, not only a walk, but a public transport access this should be kept in public hands.

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ingo wagenknecht

Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Like everything else it seems you have to fight for the right to roam.

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Peter Watson

Tuesday, March 19, 2013
The county council are doing the right thing by trying to sell this for the highest possible amount, which they can then reinvest in services for all the county's residents, which is what councils are meant for. Perhaps a vociferous countryside group, like the CPRE or RSPB, could actually buy it on behalf of their members. Not that the CPRE have ever been outside of London, it seems. Councils are not to act as owners of random small parcels of the county unless they are an income producing investment.

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john smith

Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Exactly John. Plus who in their right mind would want five hectacres of woodland so near to a busy ROW. A buyer would be paying for the privilege of providing a dog toilet for those who don't keep to the ROW, a BMX park and having every tree maintenance project scrutinised and challenged. There would be the unending cost of having fly tipping removed, dealing with the theft of standing wood, concerns about third party insurance to cover trespassers. And being so close to a busy ROW not suitable for any countryside activity. Private buyers would have to be those with an eye on the chance of development. It is in areas like this that local authorities can enhance the lives of suburban residents by finding the funding to retain ownership of little bits of woodland which can be maintained with minimum input as wild parks.

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Daisy Roots

Tuesday, March 19, 2013
These people should get together and form a trust, then bid a nominal sum for the site and they should get the it, as no one in their right mind is going to buy this heavily contaminated piece of land, just what are NCC thinking about in trying to sell it?

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John L Norton

Tuesday, March 19, 2013