Council’s Cabinet to increase nature reserves in borough
Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet is to consider two proposals to extend Local Nature Reserves in the borough.
The Council is committed to extending, enhancing and creating new high quality and easily accessible areas of green space across Telford and Wrekin.
The aim is to ensure that the borough remains an attractive, vibrant and healthy place for residents, businesses and visitors alike.
The importance of protecting and maintaining high quality green spaces is central to the Council’s commitment to retain and nurture the ‘green town’ reputation of Telford.
The two cabinet reports seek approval for the declaration of additional areas within Telford Town Park as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) as well as the declaration of a new Local Nature Reserve in Madeley.
The site for the proposed new LNR in Madeley is approximately 44 hectares of distinctive wooded pit mounds which are linked historically and archaeologically and which are an important feature of the local landscape.
The proposal has been developed by Madeley Town Council in liaison with the Madeley Pitmounds LNR Steering Group, a local community group, and will involve volunteers carrying out small scale conservation tasks as part of the management of the site.
The proposal for the Local Nature Reserve site in Telford Town Park has been developed in liaison with the Friends of Telford Town Park and the Shropshire Wildlife Trust and, like the Madeley LNR, will involve volunteers carrying out small scale conservation tasks as part of the management of the site.
Councillor Liz Clare, cabinet member for leisure services and culture, said: "We’re committed to ensuring that we have high quality and easily accessible areas of green space across the borough.
"Telford Town Park is central to our aim to ensure that borough residents have green outdoor spaces to enjoy and keep active."
Councillor Charles Smith, cabinet member for housing development and borough towns, said: "These sites have potential to improve and increase the number of quality natural green spaces across the borough.
"Green spaces play an important role in maintaining a healthy balance in between the built and the green environment, as well as encouraging residents to spend time outside.
"I will be advising Cabinet to accept the recommendations in these two reports and to approve the declaration of these areas as Local Nature Reserves."
The two reports will be considered by Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet on Thursday 26 February 2015.
