News / Crews Hole
Community crowdfunder fails in bid to buy woodland
A mystery bidder only known as ‘Mrs A’ outbid a crowdfunder to pay £245,000 for Blackswarth Road Wood at an auction.
Even though development on the five-acre site is very unlikely, the team from Protect Earth and the dozens of people who had raised money in an attempt to buy and protect the wood for the community have still been left bitterly disappointed.
Anyone who donated to the crowdfunder is now likely to get their money back unless Mrs A does not go through with the purchase of the land overlooking the River Avon in Crew’s Hole.
is needed now More than ever
In a statement, crowdfunder organiser Phil Sturgeon said: “We lost the auction for Blackswarth Road Wood. The community pledged an incredible £87,000 plus an estimated £11,000 in gift aid. In addition, we had funds available including emergency funds and a loan should we need it, but it wasn’t enough.
“A final single competing bidder outbid us to £245,000, which is an astonishing amount of money for five acres of woodland that cannot be developed.
“On a positive note, we have drawn a huge amount of attention to this amazing habitat and brought together a community of incredible people who were willing to go the extra mile to protect the woodlands we so desperately need.
“We do not know who the buyer is or what their intentions are, but by shining a light on this place, we have made it very difficult for anyone to damage or try to develop this woodland.
“It’s our hope that they will care for and protect this habitat for the benefit of nature and the community and we will hold them to account at every turn if they fail to.”
Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy and cabinet member Nicola Beech recently visited Blackswarth Road Wood – photo: Friends of Troopers Hill
Sturgeon added that “there are other causes in Bristol worth fighting for too”, including the ongoing efforts to protect Yew Tree Farm in Bedminster Down, our city’s last farm working farm.
“We have to continue pushing back against reckless development and poor planning decisions to protect what green spaces we have left.”
Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy tweeted: “Very disappointing news. I hope it’s made very clear to ‘Mrs A’ that she’s just paid £245,000 for a beautiful wood – not a housing site.
“If she’d like to get in touch with me privately to tell me why she’s bought it, I’d be happy to talk.”
Main photo: Hollis Morgan
Read next:
- Charity hopes to buy woodland to save it from development
- Last push for grassroots campaign to safeguard local woodland
- Plans revealed for 85 new homes on former lead works site
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