A VITAL green wedge in Wellington will soon be extended through the creation of a new nature reserve.

The town is currently separated from the neighbouring village of Rockwell Green through a series of green fields and public open spaces, running from Tonedale Mill to the A38.

Around 64 acres (26 hectares) of land between Fox’s Field (near the mill complex) and Exeter Road was signed over to Wellington Town Council in January 2023 on a 150-year lease, allowing local councillors to protect and enhance the Basins for future generations.

Now, a local farming family is aiming to protect a large portion of land to the south of Exeter Road by creating a brand new nature reserve, enhancing the town’s biodiversity and providing local residents with a green oasis to enjoy.

The Trinity Farm Nature Reserve will be created between the existing homes on Farthing Pitts and Hilly Head, not far from the town’s cemetery.

The land currently forms part of K. S. Coles, a family farm which has been cultivating the land since the 1960s and has actively engaged with environmental stewardship.

The design of the nature reserve is at an early stage, with Greenshank Environmental working with the Coles family and local stakeholders to determine how the reserve can serve both nature and the community, and are considering the best access points, sites for benches and viewing points, and how best to accommodate dog walkers.

Once completed, it will form the final part of the unbroken ‘green corridor’ from Tonedale Mill, which together with the Tone Works site will shortly be regenerated following a successful £20m bid to the government’s levelling up fund.

Somerset County Gazette: The reserve will form part of the unbroken ‘green corridor’ from Tonedale Mill.The reserve will form part of the unbroken ‘green corridor’ from Tonedale Mill.

Paul Coles, whose family owns and manages the farm, said: “Our family has been farming land in Somerset for more than 60 years.

“We have always tried to do the right thing by the environment and now creating the nature reserve so close to our home feels like a natural extension to this.

“The town of Wellington has meant so much to the family that being able to give back, and create a space that will improve the lives of the community, is a fantastic legacy for the family.”

Under new planning laws which came into force in January, any new development must achieve a ten per cent biodiversity net gain (BNG) compared to leaving the land in its current condition.

This is compounded by the ongoing phosphates crisis, with house-builders in and around Wellington needing to secure additional mitigation to prevent any damage being caused to the Somerset Levels and Moors.

Somerset Council secured £9.6m of government funding shortly before Christmas to explore ways of solving the phosphates crisis – including £3.5m for “nature-based solutions”.

Working with the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), the council has put out a ‘call for sites’ which could deliver natural phosphate mitigation and contribute to BNG – with the Trinity Farm site proving to be a potentially strong candidate on both counts.

Greenshank Environmental estimates that the nature reserve could include large amounts of neutral grassland and new hedgerows, along with new woodland if it was demanded.

The nature reserve proposals have been warmly welcomed by Anita Roy, the chair of Transition Town Wellington and a member of the Green Corridor Advisory Group.

She said: “The proposal to re-imagine this land as a nature reserve is a fantastic opportunity for the town’s folk – human and non-human alike.

“We know that the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, with one in six species threatened with extinction.

“Previous agricultural policy didn’t encourage environmentally friendly farming, although this has now shifted and increasing numbers of farmers are pursuing more environmentally friendly methods such as replacing lost hedges, reductions in pesticide and herbicide use, and more friendly the regime of crop-growing that has destroyed habitats of what were once common farmland birds like lapwings, cuckoos, buntings and skylarks.

“One of the key recommendations from Natural England is to ‘create more, bigger and messier places for wildlife. Our wildlife needs more space, and we know that many species can benefit from habitats that are quick to create such as ponds, scrubby habitats and un-trimmed hedgerows’.

“This is something that the new nature reserve will massively help with. It’s truly inspirational that Wellington is leading the way in this, with a farmer who is looking to leave a wonderful legacy for the town using the opportunity that the new biodiversity net gain scheme allows.”

The land is expected to be formally declared as a local nature reserve within the next 12 months, though it may take it least 18 months before the site can be properly enjoyed by the public.

Under the terms of the declaration, Mr Coles and his family will manage the site to ensure it complies with the requirements for BNG for the full 30 years.

In addition, Wellington Town Council and local volunteer groups are also engaging to see how they can further support the scheme.

Ms Roy said Transition Town Wellington would be closely involved in the nature reserve going forward, building on their creation of a community forest garden at Fox’s Field and other improvements to the green corridor.

She added: “The new nature reserve adds a whole new dimension to this and is a continuation of the corridor connecting Swains Lane nature reserve to Tonedale.

“We hope that it will continue to build momentum to connect habitats and landscape up to Langford Heathfield (a site of special scientific interest) and the Blackdown Hills National Landscape.

“If we are to achieve the hugely ambitious and necessary ’30×30′ aim – 30 per cent of land being protected for nature by 2030 – we need many more nature recovery projects like this, and people with the passion and enthusiasm to see them to fruition.

“The only way we can begin to make a difference is by collaboration and cooperation, to deep listening to what people want, and to bold and imaginative steps towards a future that we want to see.

“We are in the rare and fortunate position of having a town council that is so supportive and proactive.”