Plans for new nature reserve to be considered

Plans to turn a former golf course into a large nature reserve could move a step closer when councillors meet to vote on the proposals.

The Brandon Wood course has been closed since the coronavirus pandemic and costs Coventry City Council £70,000 a year to maintain.

Councillors will be asked to agree to the demolition of the existing clubhouse when they meet on Tuesday 6 January along with registering the 158-acre site as a so-called Biodiversity Net Gain habitat bank.

The site could become a "major new visitor destination", said the city council.

It is also hoped an outdoor education centre to the north of the site could also be built.

Money generated from this will help fund the creation of the nature reserve which will be overseen by the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust.

"Bringing the former golf course into management for wildlife joins up several sites across the wider Brandon area and creates the scale needed to support several key species," said Ed Green, chief executive of the trust.

"People in future can expect to see ospreys, bitterns and perhaps even beavers one day, just a few minutes from Coventry city centre," he added.

Councillor Jim O'Boyle added the scheme was a "unique opportunity to create something very special, not just for the city and the region, but for the country's wildlife".

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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