The three woodlands (Racecourse, Belmore and Brown’s Plantations) are in Thorpe St Andrew, outside Norwich and comprise 205 acres, they form the largest area of woodland within the Norwich area. The woodlands are owned by the Thorpe & Felthorpe Trust, the Trustees of which are five members of the Gurney family.
"Controversial plans for the development at Racecourse Plantation were initially refused by Broadland District Council in June 2017.The scheme had attracted widespread opposition from campaigners, local councillors and the county’s wildlife trust over the loss of woodland. But almost a year after developer Socially Conscious Capital (SCC) appealed the refusal, a planning inspector has allowed for the scheme to go-ahead." EDP
The consultation process for the Racecourse Plantation can be found here: http://www.racecourseplantations.co.uk/public-consultation.php
Norfolk Wildlife Trust opposed the development plan here: https://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/documents/a-living-landscape/planning-issues/planning-issues-2018.aspx
Species list can be found here: http://savethorpewoodlands.blogspot.com/p/species-list-for-racecourse-plantation.html
Broadland council article on planning application is here: https://secure.broadland.gov.uk/MVM.DMS/Planning%20Application/702000/702696/20161896%20Design%20&%20Access%20Statement%20Part%201%20of%204.pdf
Why XR oppose the development: The concerns are threefold – one is that we fundamentally oppose the felling of the trees in a climate emergency and secondly, of the obvious destruction to ecological habitat, furthermore that the work is taking place in order to create housing by destroying woodland which will further increase C02 emissions, traffic on the surrounding roads and likelihood of flooding in the area.
“We believe that the Racecourse Plantation should play an integral part in the plans for the development of the North East Norwich Growth Triangle. As existing, well established biodiverse woodland, it should form part of the core of green infrastructure. Why the Woodland Trust oppose the development: The Woodland Trust believes that the retention of existing woodland and the creation of functional woodland networks are especially important because of the unique ability of woodland to deliver a wide range of benefits, these include for both landscape and biodiversity (helping habitats become more robust to adapt to climate change, buffering and extending fragmented ancient woodland), quality of life (amenity & recreation, public health, flood amelioration, urban cooling) and climate change for the local economy (timber and wood fuel markets).”
Friends of Thorpe Woodlands page here: http://friendsofthorpewoodlands.blogspot.com