Have a say on plans for Loughborough's Booth Wood

Residents and visitors to Loughborough’s Booth Wood are being invited to have their say on plans to turn the area into a local nature reserve.

Charnwood Borough Council is working with partners idverde to protect the wildlife in the beauty-spot and is running a consultation to hear their views of residents and visitors.

The decision to designate the area as a local nature reserve will be made by Natural England.

Councillor Jenny Bokor, the council’s lead member for Loughborough, said: "Booth Wood is a small woodland, designating it as a local nature reserve will allow more plant and animal species to flourish, as they have in our other nature reserves.

"Since 2016 our Open Spaces strategy has outlined our plans to introduce local nature reserves across the borough, as pockets of green space for residents, visitors and wildlife to enjoy.

"The wood provides a pleasant and accessible route to the west of Loughborough, which is particularly important as we look to encourage and raise awareness of the importance of daily exercise.

"We know school pupils and nearby residents already enjoy the space, so we hope our plans will enhance the wood and protect it for future generations."

Local nature reserves receive a level of protection from nearby development, meaning planners will need to take the area into consideration when looking at local planning proposals.

As part of the process of becoming a local nature reserve, the council has produced a five-year management plan that outlines how it and partners idverde will look after the area in the future.

The plan includes ways to improve access to the wood, reduce antisocial behaviour and encourage more species to populate the area.

Booth Wood will sit alongside Stonebow Washlands in Loughborough and Morely Quarry in Shepshed as protected areas for wildlife to flourish and visitors to enjoy.