Campaign to save Holton Pits in Suffolk gets £133,000 boost

The community matched funding is being provided to secure Holton Pits near Halesworth after the Holton Pits Community Interest Company (CIC), which was set up to protect the site, raised £100,000 of its own money.

READ MORE: Suffolk: Campaigners raise £179,000 to buy Holton Pits 

The bid for Government money was backed by Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey and will help to protect the disused sandpit from development that could threaten its fragile biodiversity.

Dr Coffey, who wrote to Levelling Up and Communities Secretary Michael Gove in support, said: “This is fabulous news for regular users of Holton Pits and the wider community.

"Huge congratulations to the whole team behind the CIC for putting so much effort into the local fundraising and their clearly very strong application.

"I wrote personally to the secretary of state for communities, Michael Gove, on two separate occasions to get this funding application over the line and I’m thrilled that has paid off.

"I’m very pleased that Holton Pits will now be in the hands of local people for local people.”

The CIC's chair Kevin Moores said the funding would mean that the campaigners now had enough to buy the site and the sale could now proceed.

He added: "Obviously, we are delighted with the news and it reflects the effort, not just of the team, but of the community in raising the initial £100,000."

He said the pits would now be preserved for walkers, dog walkers and for people to fish in the lake.

Landowner CEMEX had initially put a £200,000 asking price on the 20-acre plot, including the fishing lake, sparking an outcry from the community and fuelling the creation of the CIC.

However, subsequently, CEMEX indicated it would be willing to accept £179,000 for the land.

The campaigners had also secured an Asset of Community Value designation for the pits, which helps to secure the land.