Happy Christmas

This Christmas the campaign to save Thorpe Woods is nearly two and a half years old. Since July 2010 we have been working to protect Thorpe Woods from the threat of destruction.

The threat to Thorpe Woods has underlined just how well loved and valued they are, not only by local people but also by organisation such as the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, the Woodland Trust and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE). In fact the only people who don’t appear to value the woods are the owners who continue to press for their destruction so that they can develop the site for their own private gain.

In July 2010 they came forward with plans to build 800 houses on the site of the woods. Since then they have continued to promote these plans, they instructed new architects in 2011 and this year we understand that they are proposing the construction of a Centre Parcs style development coupled with housing, all of this at the cost of the destruction of a County Wildlife Site.

How you can help

The Friends together with local people and councillors have in the last few days reaffirmed their opposition to these proposals. Earlier this month the Eastern Evening News covered the story (Families urged to back campaign for Thorpe St Andrew woodlands) and in response many of you wrote in to voice your support for the woods, thank you for doing this, your support is essential if Thorpe Woods are to be saved.

2013 and the future of Thorpe Woods

In March next year the woods will form part of a consultation which will be published by Broadland District Council. The consultation will consider which sites to the east of Norwich are suitable for housing and commercial development.

Local people and interested bodies will have an opportunity to tell the council that they would like Thorpe Woods to be saved from development and preserved as a green space for wildlife and the local community. This will be your chance to make clear to the council that you want Thorpe Woods to be saved from the threat of development and that they should be preserved for people and wildlife to enjoy for many years to come.

We will update you soon on how you can make your voice heard.

In the meantime thank you, Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.