Holton community group raises £180,000 to turn former quarry into public space
They still need to raise an additional £20,000 to help the sale go through
Last updated 20th Apr 2023
A community group in the East Suffolk village of Holton, near Halesworth, has raised £180,000 to buy up a disused quarry and turn it into a public space.
Holton Pits are currently owned by cement firm CEMEX, which put the site up for sale in August last year.
Members of the local community formed the Holton Pits Preservation Group to try to protect the site from development, as its been used by locals for many years for recreation.
Parts of the area are designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest because pf the unique combination of plant and wildlife species present.
The site has been listed as an Asset of Community Value, leaving locals scrambling to raise enough cash to complete a sale.
The group is now poised to submit a bid of £180,000 to buy the site, however they still need an additional £20,000 to cover legal costs.
In a letter supporting the bid, RSPB England said:
"As well as being a valued community asset, the habitats present on the site also have great potential to support local populations of turtle dove, which have been recorded in the surrounding area in 2022 and recent years.
"These habitats are also very important for many other associated species of flora and fauna."
Local people have also written in support of the bid. In testimony on the Holton Pits group website, one wrote:
“Holton Pits is one of the best green spaces to get out and be in nature that I have found since moving here.”