To consider a proposal by the Kent Wildlife Trust that the section of Westfield Wood leased by the Trust from Maidstone Borough Council acting as Corporate Trustee of the Charity known as the Cobtree Manor Estate be put forward for designation as a Local Nature Reserve.

1.  That the request by the Kent Wildlife Trust to apply for Local Nature Reserve status for the section of Westfield Wood that it leases from Maidstone Borough Council in its capacity as Corporate Trustee of the Charity known as the Cobtree Manor Estate be approved.

2.  That the Head of Legal Services be authorised to prepare and sign the documentation required for Local Nature Reserve designation upon an approach made by the Kent Wildlife Trust.

On 27 February 2008 Maidstone Borough Council designated an area of land known as Boxley Warren as a Local Nature Reserve.  The Boxley Warren site is shown edged in red on the plan attached as Appendix 1 to the report of the Cobtree Officer.  Since designation Boxley Warren has been visited and used as a Local Nature Reserve, and the site includes that part of Westfield Wood which lies immediately to the south east of the site currently leased to the Kent Wildlife Trust.

Under an Agreement dated 18 January 1977 the Kent Wildlife Trust leases a section of Westfield Wood (a 13.3 (approx) acre site, shown edged red on the plan attached as Appendix 2 to the report of the Cobtree Officer) from Maidstone Borough Council in its capacity as Corporate Trustee of the Charity known as the Cobtree Manor Estate on a year to year lease for a nominal rent of £25 per annum to exercise their objectives and £2 per annum ground rent.  Since 18 January 1977 the Trust has maintained and managed the site at its own cost.

The whole of Westfield Wood is part of an internationally important Yew woodland complex.  Local Nature Reserve designation will help to protect this landscape and raise its status as an important area for conservation locally.

Local Nature Reserve Designation will help the Kent Wildlife Trust to apply for funding from Europe to protect and manage the woodland and will link the site currently leased to the Trust to the adjacent section of Westfield Wood and Boxley Warren that is already designated as a Local Nature Reserve further creating a large area of protected landscape along the North Downs.

Such designation could also help protect the site from further damage by enabling Bylaws to be made to, for example, prohibit the use of motorbikes, mountain trail push bikes and cars in the woodland.

Designation will not alter the way in which the site is used by the public; open access is an important part of designation as a Local Nature Reserve. Due to the importance of the habitat and the topography of the land, it is considered that it will not be possible to put the site to another use.

The alternative is to not allow the Kent Wildlife Trust to apply for Local Nature Reserve status for the Wood.  This is not considered appropriate as designation could provide positive benefits for the woodland and the public visiting it.  Designation could also help in managing the existing problems of (a) use by motorbikes and other motorised vehicles and (b) the dumping of rubbish, both of which are currently causing damage to the woodland.