Burghley, Milton and Walcot estates unveil plans to link Stamford and Peterborough with ‘green corridor’

Major landowners have unveiled ambitious plans to link three estates by creating a ‘green corridor’ of nature-friendly habitat.

The large-scale habitat creation between Stamford and Peterborough would stretch from Burghley Park to Milton Park, recreating lost landscapes by creating new woodlands, heathland, wetland and limestone grassland.

The vision, which would also incorporate the Walcot Estate, was unveiled by the Langdyke Countryside Trust (LCT) at the annual John Clare Countryside Conference.

The area is already home to two national nature reserves at Barnack Hills and Hollows and Castor Hanglands, owned by Natural England, and incorporates the landscape captured by the prose of renowned Helpston-born poet and naturalist, John Clare.

The trust is also working with voluntary groups in 21 parishes who work on regular nature projects in their communities.

“Part of what’s being proposed is how you stitch all of that together to create a continuous landscape where nature can flourish, rather than have little pockets of nature,” said Richard Astle, who chairs the LCT.

“What’s been very clearly proven over recent years is that the way to help nature is through much bigger and more connected areas of land that are nature-friendly.

“If you just have a little pocket here and a little pocket there then they can’t communicate with each other and they don’t get the benefit in quite the same way.”

It is hoped detailed plans will be submitted to the Government later this year, bidding for funding from the Landscape Recovery scheme, which was introduced last year.

If successful, Richard said there would be a two-year window to finalise plans and secure more funding from the private and charitable sectors before work would begin.

Justin Tilley, principle manager for Natural England West Anglia, said: “We’re really excited to be working with partners across the John Clare Countryside to bring this project to life.

“Putting nature recovery at the heart of the plans will help unlock so many other benefits.

“It will not only allow wildlife to thrive; it creates a thriving rural economy, helps make the landscape more resilient to climate change, and supports the wellbeing of local communities who enjoy these beautiful places.”

The John Clare Countryside project was launched by the trust in 2009 to promote nature recovery and encourage public access to the countryside.

Plans to revitalise John Clare Cottage, the poet’s childhood home in Helpston, were also announced at the conference.

The John Clare Trust is finalising plans for a national initiative around access to nature for children, using the cottage as a centre of excellence.