Public asked to ‘buy a share’ to save precious green belt land Harrogate and Knaresborough from threat of development
The public is being invited to a special ‘buy a share’ event next week to save precious green belt land Harrogate and Knaresborough.
Taking place on Wednesday, August 7 at the Centre on Gracious Street (COGS) in Knaresborough, the free event will highlight the launch by Long Lands Common volunteers of a new community shares campaign to purchase 60 acres of green belt land between Knaresborough and Starbeck.
The aim is to protect and restore local green spaces for future generations – including part of the ancient Royal Forest of Knaresborough - in an era of major housing developments and possible new bypasses.
George Eglese, associate of the Institute of Place Management and one of the directors of Long Lands Common Limited, said “This is an opportunity for the community to take direct control of substantial areas of the greenbelt and be a part of securing it for future generations – a place where both people and nature can thrive.”
Long Lands Common is the first-ever community owned woodlands project for Harrogate and Knaresborough.
It was established in 2021 on farmland which borders the Nidderdale Greenway between Bilton and Starbeck in the west and extends eastwards towards Knaresborough.
Having been threatened, potentially, by building of a new bypass through the green belt, the project’s volunteers successfully took 30 acres of land back into common ownership in 2021 at Long Lands Common with the proceeds of a 2020 Community Shares offer that raised £400,000.
With the aid of a £410,000 grant from the George A Moore Foundation plus additional donations of £100,000 and a £300,000 philanthropic loan from We Have The Power, they are now seeking to purchase 60 more acres to create Knaresborough Forest Park and the Long Lands Community Food Forest.
The land designated for Knaresborough Forest Park runs alongside the popular Beryl Burton Way public path between Bilton and Knaresborough.
The transformation from farmland to nature reserve at Long Lands Common is already well under way, with the implementation of a woodland creation plan and grant funding.
Next week’s event at COGS runs from 7pm-8pm.
More information: https://www.longlandscommon.org/