At a meeting of Pitton and Farley Parish Council on 16th December the Council agreed the Heads Of Terms with Wiltshire Council in relation to the land transfer, on a 125 year lease, of an acre of land on Roundbarrow Farm.
Pitton Nature Trust have been in discussion with the Parish Council with the aim of having a long-term management agreement for the charity to create and maintain a community orchard and nature reserve on the site.
As previously reported we have been successful in obtaining grant funding from the Coronation Living Heritage Orchard fund to start the creation of the orchard and nature reserve.
The next steps on the land transfer will involve the legal transfer of the land to the Parish Council. We have been advised by Wiltshire Council if this is not completed by the time the fruit trees need to be planted they will issue a permit to allow the planting and other works,
Wiltshire Council have appointed a contractor to erect the fencing around the area of land. The same contractor will be installing the new permissive bridleway between Pitton and Firsdown.
We are now preparing a detailed management plan for the Community Orchard and Nature Reserve and will share this in early 2025.