Heath project rethink

WORK to remove vast areas of scrub and gorse from Suffolk's oldest heathland will be delayed.

WORK to remove vast areas of scrub and gorse from Suffolk's oldest heathland will be delayed.

The Trustees of Rushmere Common will put off the restoration scheme which was due to start this winter, amid concerns the proposed action would be detrimental to the landscape and the golf club.

New alternatives to manage the future of Rushmere Heath are set to be considered, including reviewing the amount of trees to be cut down after concerns were raised by a section of the commoners.

Don Ayre, chairman of trustees, said: “The majority of adverse comments have been about the removal of trees and the removal of large areas of gorse and its replacement by heather.

“We are now looking at other ways these areas maybe managed. This may include reducing some of the trees due to be removed and retaining some areas of gorse by cyclical areas of management.”

The work, set to cost £99,500, will be delayed by 12 months and in the meantime bodies such as Natural England and the Suffolk Wildlife Trust will be consulted for their opinion before a special meeting of the trustees is held in January to discuss the proposals further.

A public exhibition for the plans to consult with the public is then expected to go up in February before a final decision is taken.