MINEHEAD’S equivalent of Pooh Bear’s ‘Hundred Acre Wood’ could be saved for the community after the town’s conservation society succeeded in having it declared an asset of community value (ACV).

The 2.7-acre beauty spot on North Hill has seen four housing development attempts rejected, most recently three years ago.

The land was described in 1988 by its then-new owners as their ‘Hundred Acre Wood’, after AA Milne’s Winnie the Pooh books.

Now, a seven-year conservation society battle to save the stretch of North Hill moorland has ended with the ACV declaration, which gives the community a ‘right to bid’ should the land be put up for sale and allows six months’ grace to try to raise sufficient funds.

A conservation society spokesperson told the Free Press: “We have just been informed that our application has been accepted.

“This is excellent news.

“The planning applications have been so fiercely fought.”

The last planning appeal, by landowner Mr J. Way to build 12 houses on the site south of Beacon Road was dismissed by a planning inspector.

Two applications and another appeal had already been turned down since 2019 after campaigns by pressure groups.

Since then, there have been several attempts to bring the land into public ownership, including forming a community trust to buy the land for the town and turn it into a memorial to Covid victims.

In its ACV application, the conservation society said the North Hill land was ‘undeveloped wooded hillside forming part of the Higher Town conservation area’.

A spokesperson said: “Of significant cultural importance is that the hillside land is the backdrop to Minehead’s grade two 15th century St Michael’s Church and the Cleveland mansion.

“Today, walkers and dog walkers enjoy the unenclosed woodland, having easy access from Minehead town and extensive views over the surrounding area.”

Minehead Conservation Society (MCS) and the North Hill Action Group (NHAG) which had combined to make the ACV application, said it would now make it more difficult to develop the land for housing in the future.

Conservation society chairman Sally Bainbridge said: “We are delighted this vitally important North Hill site, which serves as a backdrop to the grade two buildings the Church of St Michael and the Clevelands country house, has been recognised for its major contribution to the setting of Minehead and beyond.

“The protection of one of the jewels in the crown of Minehead, North Hill, is one of the best things that could have been achieved.

“Our successful application means that for the next five years, should the land come up for sale, we would have the right to bid for it.

“A woodland walk and a memorial to Covid victims have been discussed as being among possible uses for the land, should it be bought by the community.

“So many people objected to the land being used for housing that the success of this application will surely meet with approval from many members of the community.”

Action group chairman Chris Miller said the public, including visitors, had been using the area of woodland for decades, to enjoy views of the coast or to walk, often with their dogs.

Mr Miller said the decision by Somerset Council to designate the woodland area as an ACV demonstrated the efforts of the conservation society in conjunction with the action group ‘were in accord with the team at Somerset Council’.

He said: “We are very pleased that another layer of protection has been added to an important woodland area, previously threatened by highly inappropriate planning applications for executive homes, despite being in a conservation area.

“While the applications have ultimately been unsuccessful, Minehead needs all the help it can get in protecting this important woodland.

“The asset of community value designation ensures our community will have the right to bid, not the right to buy, for the woodland, if it comes up for sale in the next five years.

“The ACV will expire after each five year period and we at the MCS and NHAG intend to re-apply whenever the ACV comes up for renewal.

“If the community is successful in purchase, should the woodland come on the market, we envisage it being properly managed to secure the beautiful green backdrop to our town and for tranquil public access and wildlife enrichment.”