Content

A key objective of the council’s Tree
and Woodland policy and its’ Biodiversity policy is to
enhance the biodiversity of the council’s woodlands through
proactive habitat management. This is being achieved through
implementing the work within woodland management plans previously
agreed with the Forestry Commission.

This contract will enable agreed management work to be delivered on
Norley Common and Lords Hill Common, both located in Shamley Green.
This work will involve the removal of trees with poor future
potential to allow those remaining more light and space to develop,
and also create better conditions for a new generation of young
trees to replace those reaching the end of their life.

The value of the contract will be fixed and it will be valid
between the months of October and March inclusive, to allow for the
work to be undertaken outside of the bird nesting season.

Reasons for the decision

To enable the Council to meet the obligations
within its’ Forestry Commission approved woodland management
plans for Norley Common and Lords Hill Common, and to deliver the
Council’s wider objective of enhancing the biodiversity value
of its’ woodlands.

Alternative options considered

To not carry out woodland management on Norley
Common and Lords Hill Common. The council would be unable to meet
the obligations within the woodland management plans for these
sites, nor the objectives of its Biodiversity and Tree and Woodland
policies. The woodland at Norley and Lords Hill Commons would
remain in sub-optimal condition, with their full biodiversity
potential unfulfilled.