06/04/2004

Trust to turn swathes of unused land into green fields

A new body has been set up that will help transform 10,000 hectares of derelict and unused land into open green spaces over the next 10 years.

Launched the Land Restoration Trust today, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said that sustainable communities were not just about housing, but a mix of ingredients to be places where people want to live and work.

"By transforming swathes of neglected brownfield land into open green spaces for the community to enjoy, the Trust will help to improve not only the local environment but also people's quality of life," he said.

"I hope to see the Land Restoration Trust helping communities across the country - from the former coal mining areas to the creation of new sustainable communities in the Thames Gateway."

The Trust is a partnership between English Partnerships, Groundwork, the Forestry Commission and the Environment Agency. It will have a three-year pilot phase where it will restore and manage 1,500 hectares of underused brownfield land.

The first three sites to be transferred to the Land Restoration Trust are Monkton in the North East, and Bentley and Hickleton in Yorkshire. Within 10 years it will acquire, own and manage 10,000 hectares of land in England.

The move is part of the government's plan for sustainable communities, which is backed by £22 billion of investment.

(gmcg)

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