We Asked, You Said, We Did

Members of the public and stakeholders were invited to the consultation of the draft proposals for the North Norfolk Forest Plan 2018-2028, to leave feedback to ensure that the plans objectives and proposals were considered and balanced. This was carried out via letters, emails and notices displayed in freehold woodlands across the plan area.

Primarily there was good support for the proposals with the majority of you agreeing that the plan achieves an appropriate balance of social, economic and environmental objectives for the woodland. Common features raised included requests to increase open space, more detailed information on specific management of conservation plans and concerns over the minerals plan for Bintree forest.

Comments and feedback were incorporated into the forest plan where necessary. Suggestions made to increase open space in Marsham, Horsford and Edgefield could not be implemented as permanent open space identified across the plan area is currently in poor condition. This will be addressed within a conservation plan to follow but at this stage it would be impractical to commit to increasing open space until what we have is managed appropriately. The conservation plan will contain more detailed information about specific management of conservation areas for use at the operational level. The plan shows Bintree forest will used for forestry purposes in the immediate future. However, concerns raised regarding the minerals plan for Bintree have been passed to the estates department to retain on file. The plan will now be submitted to Forest Services (FS) for approval. It is hoped this process will be completed by September 2018 and that the approved plan will be displayed on the East England Forest plans pages by October 2018.

Members of the public were invited to the consultation of the draft proposals for the Shobdon and Wigmore Forest Plan to leave feedback to ensure that the plans objectives and proposals were considered and balanced.

Primarily there was good support for the proposals. including the restoration of PAW sites, although there were concerns raised over definition of PAW sites within the plan area.

Interest in the ecology of the forests and proposals to enhance and improve the ecological value of the forests also featured highly.

Comments and feedback were incorporated into the Forest Plan where nescessary, prior to submission to Forest Services (FS) for approval. FS had no feedback from their consultation and the plan was approved for implementation on 20th December 2017

All of the land covered by this management plan is now jointly managed by Natural England and the Forestry Commission– this ten year plan represents the first phase of this new partnership and a new and exciting phase in the history of the forest.

The public were asked to comment on this new plan

The majority of responses were broadly positive and welcomed this new approach to the management of the Wyre Forest.

Common features raised ranged from those to do with how Wyre Forest is used for recreation and the pressures it brings to the Forest to querries over habitat proposals outlined in the plan through to economics of the plan and resources required to make it happen.

Forestry Commission and Natural England have discussed the responses and amended the plan where appropriate.  The Forestry Commission are also begining a process of drawing up a recreational strategy for the Wyre although at the time of writing this the completion date is unknown.

Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statement: "The existing mountain bike facility is a positive use of the forest." Do you feel the bike jump facilities are a well-used facility in Stoke Park?

74% strongly agreed and 15% strongly disagreed that the existing mountain bike facility is a positive use of the forest. 79% agreed and 21% disagreed that the bike jump facilities are a well-used facility in Stoke Park.

Following the consultation results we will be to inviting those that expressed an interest in managing Stoke Park Bike Jumps to meet with the Forestry Commission to discuss what would be involved and required if this facility is to be formalised. Those that have expressed an interest via the consultation will be contacted directly.

As part of our planning process, we asked you as users accessing Dalby Forest for your thoughts on how a possible new traffic management system may work. The online survey ran from 28 July 2014 to 30 September 2014.

We received just over 300 responses, electronic and paper copies. Feedback was also collated from two drop-in sessions for stakeholders.

We analysed the survey responses and feedback from the stakeholder sessions. We shared this information with an independent traffic consultant. A tender for the procurement of a new entry system has started and a planning application has been submitted to the North York Moors National Park.

In order that our planning application for Forestry and Filming at Bourne Wood addresses, wherever possible, the issues and concerns raised by interested parties and that opportunities are taken within the application to add value to the filming activity locally, we asked you to complete our online survey to capture your views.

65% of online responses were strongly supportive or supportive of filming activity continuing in Bourne Wood. 15% of online responses were strongly against. Many respondents, even those in support of the activity, were concerned about particular issues surrounding filming, predominantly: Nature, Recreational Access, Traffic and Noise.

We have amended our initial outline proposals for future filming at Bourne Woods in light of feedback from the Residents Association, people’s feedback from the drop in event and the online survey responses. We recognise the main issues and have changed our planned application to address these points. The full application will be available on Waverley Borough Council's website very soon: http://waverweb.waverley.gov.uk/live/wbc/pwl.nsf/webdisplaypubliclist A non-technical summary of the application can be viewed on our website: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/englandsurreynoforestbournewood