Forestry Commission sparks anger in Warminster

The grade two arable land selected for the tree plantation was previously farmed

A local action group is "outraged" by plans to cover 200 acres of arable farmland with a large tree plantation.

The government-operated Forestry Commission has planted 70,000 trees so far on the Stourhead (Western) Estate in Wiltshire.

Save Bonham Farmland said the plantation was approved without consultation.

The Forestry Commission said it did not comment on individual applications but was committed to following regulations.

70,000 trees have already been planted on the 200 acre forestry plantation on the Stourhead (Western) Estate with over double that number still to be planted.

Wiltshire Councillor Bridget Wayman

"Right tree, right place, right reason" is the strapline of the Forestry Commission but the action group Save Bonham Farmland said this was lip service.

"It's the wrong place" said Cllr Wayman speaking on behalf of Save Bonham Farmland.

"It's grade two arable land, the best and most versatile land", she added.

It is believed the plantation would be predominantly non-native fast growing conifers rather than broadleaved species like oak that seen as the most effective for carbon capture.

Cllr Wayman said: "They (conifers) aren't broadleaf trees, they're not helping with climate change.

"This is a forestry timber production scheme, it's got nothing to do with preserving or enhancing the landscape which is really important.

"And it's taking good arable land out of production, we need food security as much as we need trees."

Chris Deverill's family have worked the land for generations

Chris Deverill's family has worked the land for generations and said he was saddened: "It's a bit of arrogance really to think that someone can come in, take a project like this on without talking to anyone locally.

"Consider this is farming land, it's always been farming land and it's always been the local community that's farmed that land."

The Hoare family manage the woodlands of the Stourhead Western Estate with the aim of producing timber whilst maintaining the landscape

In a statement Nick Hoare, who currently manages the estate, said: "If the Forestry Commission did not follow the correct process, the way to challenge that is by judicial review. The fact is that the objectors were fully aware of that, and did not raise a judicial review.

"This implies to me that their lawyers did not think that there was a viable case.

"I have a contract from the Forestry Commission to plant trees, and have already planted 70,000."

Richard Burden - Cranborne Chase National Landscape, Principle Landscape and Planning Officer

Richard Burden from Cranborne Chase National Landscape, said lawyers told them they had "a strong case" but that the funds were not there to take things further: "It would be daft to spend our extraordinarily small budget to fight a nationally-funded organisation which has a huge budget.

"We're trying to point out to the Forestry Commission, that they haven't followed their own procedure and they really ought to start again."

In 2020 the Forestry Commission chair, Sir William Worsley, admitted the organisation had made mistakes sanctioning landowners to plant forests at Berrier End Farm, Cumbria.

Sir William told the public that lessons had been learned from failures in the consultation process.

First of the trees to be planted to the West of the Stourhead estate

A spokesperson from the Forestry Commission said:

"Wiltshire is benefiting from a significant increase in new woodland and trees, which will help bring the local community together and increase access to nature to improve wellbeing, increase local biodiversity and help meet national net zero by 2050 ambitions."

The Forestry Commission said Wiltshire has benefitted from a significant increase in new woodland and trees

Follow BBC West on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [e-mail]