Holton pits fishing lake: Community group need donations

Holton Pits, near Halesworth, was put up for sale by property consultants Fisher German on behalf of the landowner, building supplies firm Cemex, in August.

Holton Pits Preservation Group - led by Halesworth town councillor Rachel Kellett - was formed to save the site.

The group put in a bid to buy Holton Pits before a deadline in September, but it now needs to raise enough money to take it over.  

The preservation group, which has more than 100 members, fears the site could be sold and developed in a manner that would threaten its fragile biodiversity and restrict access for locals, who have been using it for decades for recreation and wellbeing.

Holton Pits Fishing Lake on a beautiful sunny day (Image: Submitted)

The site has been named an 'Asset of Community Value', but this status expires in May, after which Cemex could sell the site to anyone.  Sixteen other bids were made to buy the land.

Jamie Leverett, a member of the group, said: "The uptake of support we have had is wonderful.

“While we have the Assets of Community Value we need to raise the funds, from May it could be sold to anyone. 

“We are confident there is support in the project, but it is a battle against time to get the money by May."

Holton Pits Preservation group congregate in the summer to discuss their bid (Image: Submitted)

The group is finalising its registration as a Community Interest Company (CIC).

Group member Marion Gaze said: "We have sent off all of the documents for our CIC, which is the formality, so it is out of our hands and we are awaiting its completion."

Birds eye view of the Holton Pits (Image: Newsquest)

Cemex's asking price is in the region of £150,000, and Suffolk Coastal MP Thérèse Coffey is supporting a bid by the group to the government for 50pc of the cost.

Holton Pits Preservation Group's website is at kaliwood.wordpress.com/pit-stop

The 2016 Waveney Wildlife Audit says the grassland at Holton pits is lichen-rich and hugely beneficial to many species (Image: Submitted)

Holton pits campaigners. From left to right: Jamie Leverett, Gaina Dunsire, Marion Gaze and Rachel Kellett (Image: Bruno Brown)