Nature reserve status threatened
A much-loved wildlife habitat near Bristol could lose its status as a local nature reserve (LNR).
Wick Golden Valley, on the edge of the village of Wick, is popular with visitors and walkers and home to diverse species of bats, birds, invertebrates, fungi and plants, and was declared as an LNR in 2005.
Since then, South Gloucestershire Council has managed site access, rights of way and maintenance of trees, habitat and safety fencing, with a series of different landowners over time responsible for historic industrial structures under an “access and management agreement” (A&MA) between the two parties.
Under a 1949 law, for a site to remain a local nature reserve, an A&MA must be in place.
But the current two landowners have told the council they no longer wish to be part of this agreement, which means the LNR status could now be withdrawn by Natural England.
South Gloucestershire councillors have agreed to begin public consultation into what this means for the future of Wick Golden Valley, which is also a site of nature conservation interest – a designation which would remain in place.
A report to the spatial planning committee said a new landowner south of the River Boyd confirmed in 2023 that they no longer wanted to be part of the management agreement, which reduced the area covered by the LNR declaration.
Negotiations began last year with the owner of the rest of the site to establish a new A&MA but they told the authority in August 2025 of their intention to end their responsibilities for the local nature reserve, either through a long-term lease or a land sale.
The report said that in November, the landowner offered the council a 25-year lease for a peppercorn (nominal) annual rent, but that this would mean also taking over responsibility for all industrial structures.
It said: “The site contains many old industrial features in various states of disrepair and natural decay.
“The main structures that would result in the council taking on significant financial vulnerability in entering into any proposal for a leasehold arrangement for the site would include existing bridges, weir structure, concrete bunkers, old culverts, safety fencing, walling, fencing and safety barriers in addition to all the other industrial features that would require safety inspections and a significant budget allowance for maintenance.”
It is not yet known how much this would all cost.
Cllr June Bamford (Conservative, Hanham) told the committee on Thursday, February 5: “It’s very important archaeologically, historically and environmentally, so I would certainly like something to happen here.”
Cllr April Begley (Conservative, Hanham) said: “I really do feel that whatever responsibility I have, I not only have it for today, I have it for the future.
“I understand that the responsibility we have for the future is to allow people with the same pleasures that we have today.
“In such a beautiful part of the world, if we don’t preserve it for the future, what do we think we are doing if we were to say no?
“So I certainly agree that we get on with it.”
Cllr John Bradbury (Labour, Bradley Stoke South) said: “I’m fully supportive of the consultation and I’m anxious that ideally we preserve this site for the future.”
The committee voted unanimously to begin public consultation.