Thrift Wood Farm green space to open in spring

A new green space in Cox Green will open to the public in the spring.

In July, the Royal Borough bought the 86-acre Thrift Wood Farm, in Ockwells Road, at auction in a £725,000 deal, and leader Cllr Simon Dudley (Con, Riverside) made assurances that the land would be used for 'open space' rather than housing while he is in the top job.

Work will soon begin to clear away old equipment on the site, undertake ecological studies of the area and draft plans for a series of pathways through the fields and woodland.

Once completed, the open space will link in with neighbouring Ockwells Park and include areas for walking, relaxing and wildlife.

Cllr Samantha Rayner, cabinet member for culture and communities, said: “Purchasing this land offers us a fantastic opportunity to invest in the future of the borough.

“Now the deal has been finalised we can plan for the best use of this site to ensure it becomes a valuable asset for everyone.

“We are committed to keeping this as open space and are already looking at a programme of tree planting, creating path ways and introducing benches and signage to guide visitors.”

The council will be looking for volunteers to join in with a series of tree plantings and will release details in the coming months.

It has again said no development will be allowed to take place in the area, and will develop a 10-year masterplan on how best to use the land.