Ruscombe Woods - can the community purshase?

Ruscombe wood has been up for sale as noted before - the wood covers all the land bounded by Lightwood Lane, the foot path from the top of Zion Hill to the Radio Mast, the road from the Bird in Hand to Randwick and the derelict poultry farm in Randwick. The total area is 22.5 Acres which is mostly mature woodland with some pasture.

As Chair of Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish Council John Rogers noted: "It is an important part of our village landscape."

The land is being sold by sealed tender with a guide price of £50,000. John Rogers has tried to organise a community purshase but the time is very much against us all. So far ten people have expressing interest in joining the proposed company and have a offered capital of £10k - this is excellent in a week but it seems unlikely we will reach sufficient funds to mount a credible bid by 30th June. There is still hope...

This to me is another argument to support a community newsletter - the Parish have plans for one but not in time to make people aware of this - especially as we have just leafletted the two parishes and more with the Ruscombe Valley Action Group leaflet and health leaflet - perhaps with a newsletter to all residents we might have been able to raise the money?

The land is designated as a "Key Wildlife Site" in the local plan and is inside the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. I've had a fair few phone calls expressing concerns about development or how it is going to be used - reassuringly the land is being sold subject to a restrictive covenant preventing any development on the land. So the land will not be built on or clear felled.

However as many have noted it would be better if the land was in benevolent hands rather than people who consider it as just an investment. Anyone interested please contact me and I will pass details onto John who is coordinating this.