We are exploring the idea of creating six new mini nature reserves within existing open spaces across the district and want to hear what you think before moving forward.
These new reserves will build on and expand our approach to the well received habitat havens that we have created across the district. The aim is to support wildlife, boost biodiversity and provide greener, more resilient spaces for our communities.
If the idea goes ahead, the reserves will include wildflower areas, native planting, habitat features and improved natural corridors for local species, giving local residents more opportunities to enjoy nature close to home.
Across all the well-used sites including Darnford Park, Saddlers Woods, the land off Eastern Avenue and Shortbutts Park, we want to celebrate what already works well. These spaces are important places for exercise, dog walking, children’s play, informal sports and everyday enjoyment of nature. Our vision is to gently weave in more wild areas, improving biodiversity and boosting habitats, while working hand-in-hand with the communities who use them. By shaping these spaces together, we can ensure that all uses complement each other and that people and wildlife can flourish side by side. Importantly, there will be no reduction of facilities or impact on play areas or football pitches etc as a result of this proposed initiative.
In contrast, in York Close Woodland and the land off Coulter Lane that are not currently in active management, our focus will be on bringing these spaces into positive stewardship, restoring habitats, increasing wildlife diversity and creating greener, healthier places in collaboration with nearby residents.
Proposed locations include areas in:
| Area | Vision |
| Land off Eastern Avenue (west of Curborough Road opposite Stychbrook Park) |
Enhance this already well-used green space by weaving in new wildlife-rich areas while protecting and supporting existing uses such as walking, play, exercise and dog-walking. Work in partnership with local users to ensure the space works beautifully for both people and nature. Wildflower areas would focus on the middle, sloped, portion of the site. Woodland works would include sensitive thinning/coppicing in order to provide more age classes of tree and so keep the woodland healthy in the long-term. |
| Drainage feature off Coulter Lane |
Bring this currently unmanaged area into positive stewardship, increasing biodiversity, creating healthier habitats and working closely with nearby residents to shape a space that supports a greater variety of birds and other wildlife that people can enjoy from outside of the drainage feature. Due to access and safety constraints, there are no plans to make this space publicly accessible. |
| Darnford Park |
Build on the park’s popularity by sensitively increasing biodiversity in order to boost nature and wellbeing, whilst ensuring that established activities - walking, playing, relaxing—continue to thrive in harmony. The two existing wildflower areas (at the Northern and Southern ends of the park) would be gradually (over several years) enriched with a greater variety of native flowering plants. Opportunities would be explored to bring in further patches or strips of wildflowers, where these wouldn’t interfere with other uses of the park. The woodland components of the park have reached an age where they are well-established, but without increased management they risk falling into decline. No wholesale changes are proposed, but there are clear opportunities for sensitive thinning/coppicing in order to provide more age classes of tree and so keep the woodland healthy in the long-term. |
| Saddlers Wood Park |
Protect this much-loved open space by enhancing its natural character, creating more diverse habitats and ensuring that everyday users can enjoy an even richer, greener environment. Opportunities would be explored to bring in patches or strips of wildflowers, where these wouldn’t interfere with other uses of the park. The most likely locations for these would be as more natural buffer strips at the edges of the woodland. The woodland in this park has reached an age where the way it was originally planted (very dense, with tree stems close together) risks causing problems for the trees as they grow larger. Good woodland management at this stage is sensitive thinning (slowly, over several years) in order to give the remaining trees space to grow. |
| Shortbutts Park |
Strengthen the park’s value as a community space by introducing strips of wildflowers, improving biodiversity and encouraging a greater variety of insects, such as butterflies. These strips would need to be designed in a way that suits this more formal park setting; working with local users so that the park continues to meet all of the ways people already enjoy it. |
| York Close Woodland |
Restore and positively manage this under-tended area, improving habitat quality, supporting wildlife and working with local residents to create a nature-rich woodland that feels cared for and is a welcome presence in the local area. Due to access and safety constraints, there are no plans to make this space publicly accessible. |
To deliver this vision, LWMTS (the council's wholly-owned trading company) would take on a 40-year lease for all of the proposed sites.
Management responsibilities will be shared - Darnford Park, Saddlers Woods, the land off Eastern Avenue and Shortbutts Park will continue to be cared for by our parks team, ensuring continuity for existing users. York Close Woodland and the land off Coulter Lane will be directly managed by LWMTS, enabling focused, hands-on habitat restoration and wildlife-friendly improvements.
The lease is required in order to secure funding for the necessary works, but is also a commitment by Lichfield District Council as to how these spaces will look, and what they will be, for decades to come. Leasing the land in this way will also help to protect the land from future development.
We need your views
- Do you support this idea?
- What do you think about the proposed locations and proposed plans detailed above for each area?
- Do you agree with the areas being leased to LWMTS to enable this vision to progress?
To give your views email governance-admin@lichfielddc.gov.uk no later than 5pm on 9 January 2026.
Your input will help us decide whether to proceed and shape the plans if they go ahead.
