Brownhills heathland plan is scaled down after campaign
Controversial plans to create extra heathland at a popular beauty spot in Brownhills by chopping down some trees have been revised after concerns were raised by residents.
The fresh proposals for Brownhills Common have been scaled back from original plans to remove 50 per cent of conifers.
It was revealed at a council scrutiny meeting last night that the revised scheme had been drawn up after public consultation events and meetings between Walsall Council officers, the Forestry Commission and Natural England.
A petition of more than 1,400 names was also submitted to the council in protest at the move to increase the amount of heathland.
Under the revised scheme, heather will be encouraged to grow around the edges of plantations as they are thinned by spreading cuttings and all mature native broadleaved trees within plantations and heathland would be left. No tree felling would start before autumn this year.
Councillor Anthony Harris, portfolio holder for leisure and culture, said: "There is a real strength of feeling regarding management plans for Brownhills Common and I am pleased that people feel so passionately about this important site and care about its future.
"We are working hard to get the balance right and I would remind people that our countryside staff are all about the preservation and promotion of sites."
