The Friends of Thorpe Woodlands was formed in 2010, its aims are to protect these beautiful woods from the threat of development and to help maintain and enhance them for the wildlife that depends on them.

The Friends have a membership of approximately 1000, the overwhelming majority of whom come from Thorpe St Andrew and Norwich. Over the last 8 years we have campaigned with local councils and conservation groups such as the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, CPRE and RSPB to protect these woods.

We are opposed to any proposals that we believe will have a negative impact on the wildlife that depends on this woodland, this includes White Admiral butterflies, Great Crested Newts, Glow Worms, Badger and many species of bat. We believe that as a designated County Wildlife Site, recognised as being of county value for wildlife, that the woods should be protected for future generations.

There has been longstanding public opposition to any development in these woods, for example in 2013 Broadland District Council held a consultation on the where development should be sited within the Growth Triangle planned for the east of Thorpe St Andrew. Two of the questions asked whether people would support any development within these woods, in response 2445 people responded by saying they opposed any development, this accounted for 80% of all of the responses to this consultation.

Racecourse Plantation was not zoned for housing in the adopted Growth Triangle Area Action Plan. The woodland is surrounded by areas of arable land of lesser ecological value which are zoned and subject to planning applications. In addition, the adopted Area Action Plan already includes reserve sites where further housing allocations would be allowed. In view of the large amounts of housing proposed in the AAP it is vital that Racecourse Plantation is retained in its entirety as a large area for wildlife on Norwich urban fringe.

The Friends support the continued use of Thorpe Woods as commercial woodland. We believe that it is possible for the woods to be used for the production of timber whilst continuing to provide a valuable haven for wildlife, there are numerous examples of this in Norfolk such as Foxley Wood which is owned and managed by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust.

Thorpe Woods is a much loved and highly valued greenspace that provides a haven for wildlife in an increasingly urban environment and we hope that the council will therefore continue to identify it as a site that is unsuitable for development.