“Seeing the level of support from local residents was incredible”
Tunbridge Wells land which includes a network of Second World War tunnels and a bunker bordering much-loved Hargate Forest have been saved following a £1.25million urgent public appeal by The Woodland Trust.
As KentLive reported, the trust, which already owns the reserve Hargate Forest, launched the appeal for funds in October. It was racing against the clock to buy the two parcels of woodland, which had gone on sale.
One devoted fundraiser and forest walker even printed off the trust’s appeal letter and stuck copies on trees, to spread the news about the land which is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
This stunning forest and heathland on the southern edge of Tunbridge Wells, which can be accessed via Broadwater Down, is a cherished haven, teeming with wildlife, along with mature woodland, many diverse plants and flowers, and glorious views.
The north parcel of land contains a fascinating slice of war history underground. The existence of the bunker, which is close to the reserve’s entrance in Broadwater Down, still holds a great deal of fascination among locals, and is regularly discussed on social media.
As KentLive previously reported, they were built in 1941 for 12th Corps, Q Branch. The 4.7 acres were being marketed as having potential for future redevelopment – and it had been put forward three times to the council as land to be assessed for such purpose.
The trust said it was able to buy the plots due to the “generous support” of the community, alongside “significant” grants from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the High Weald National Landscape Partnership.
Its site manager Helen Osorio said her first priority was to ensure the new plots of land were safe for visitor access. Work will then begin to tackle the “invasive species which have monopolised the new plots” to restore their biodiversity.
“Seeing the level of support from local residents was incredible; it showed just how much Hargate Forest means to the community. Thanks to them and our generous funders, we can now get on with the crucial work of restoration. We will begin the critical task of tackling the invasive species to help native wildlife flourish and fully integrate these plots back into the established ecosystem of Hargate Forest,” she said.
There had been an “amazing outpouring of local support and donations flooding in” from the community, said the trust, which highlighted the “dedicated local supporter” who had put up the appeal in the woods.
Stuart McLeod, director of London and South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We’re delighted to have helped secure the future of Hargate Forest. This achievement demonstrates the incredible power of communities coming together to protect the places they love. Thanks to this collective effort and National Lottery players, a treasured green space has been safeguarded for generations, creating lasting opportunities for people to connect with nature and care for this special landscape.”
The trust said although the initial purchase was a “major success”, fundraising continues to achieve the £1.25million target, which will enable the management costs for Hargate Forest for the next 20 years. This essential funding will ensure the long-term health and future of this crucial green space for the community and local wildlife, said the trust.
The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK with more than 500,000 supporters. It wants to see a world where “woods and trees thrive for people and nature”.
Established in 1972, the trust has more than 1,000 woodlands in its care, covering more than 30,000 hectares. Access to the trust’s woods is free.
Drawings and plans of the bunker show many chambers and rooms. The complex had two long tunnels with eight rooms leading off. Explorers from The Cave Club on December 7, 1979 discovered a table, chairs and a War Office issue light shade, said Steve Sullivan in his fascinating blog Blighty At War.
Mr Sullivan said the bunker was in limited use by 12th Corps Signals for about 12 months. “By late 1942 it became clear that the bunker had a flooding problem being built as it was in semi-porous sandstone and clay,” he said.
In 1946 it was sealed up by the Ministry of Defence. There have long been rumours that the building of the subterranean bunkers and passage had been for Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, the best known British general of the second world war, famous for his victory at the Battle of El Alamein in November 1942.
During the Normandy landings and for several months afterwards, Montgomery commanded all Allied troops in France. He was nicknamed or known affectionately as “Monty”.
But in 1969, he denied the bunkers and tunnels, which are 1.4 miles from Tunbridge Wells town centre, had been built as his war-time HQ. But whether constructed for him or another leader, it is believed they were part of the country’s readiness for Nazi invasion.
The land for sale is bounded to the west by new development of eight apartments, Strawberry Close.
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