THE creation of a new wood to commemorate Somerset’s war heroes has stalled as a result of legal disputes over the land.

The Somerset Wood was proposed in early-2018 and is intended to commemorate the 11,281 Somerset men and women who lost their lives during the First World War.

Initial planting at the site took place in November 2018, with councillors intending that the wood and neighbouring country park would eventually become home to up to 14,000 trees.

But to date, just over ten per cent of the trees have been planted, due to protracted disputes over ownership and use of the land.

Chris Phillips, Somerset County Council’s service manager for stronger communities, published a report on the planting ahead of a full council meeting on Wednesday morning (November 18).

He said in his written report: “A good site was found in mid-2018 and the first of an intended 14,000 broadleaved trees were planted in November 2018.

“Since then, progress has been slower than hoped for, with no planting achieved last winter.”

A new country park, which includes the Somerset Wood, will be created on land north of the A3259 Yallands Hill between Taunton and Monkton Heathfield, between Maidenbrook Lane and Allen’s Brook.

Taunton Deane Borough Council voted in April 2018 that it would move to buy the land from the Crown Estate, which had leased it to local farmers.

The wood is a partnership between the county council, Somerset West and Taunton Council (which replaced Taunton Deane in 2019), and the parish councils in Cheddon Fitzpaine and West Monkton, with trees being provided by the Woodland Trust.

Mr Phillips said: “Progress continues to be bedevilled by complex negotiations over land, both in the new country park which overlaps the Somerset Wood and over the land for 80 per cent of the Wood.

“Negotiations between the district council and the two parish councils have been protracted.”

Mr Phillips confirmed that to date only 2,000 of the 14,000 tress have been planted – all of which lie in the main country park site, rather than the area set aside for the Somerset Wood.

He said the ongoing legal delays and logistical difficulties relating to the coronavirus pandemic meant it was unlikely further planting would occur any time soon.

He soon: “The stalled progress of this wonderful initiative that enjoys strong public support is regrettable.

“Currently, there is little sign of us being able to conduct the large-scale planting necessary to recover from two years of delay.

“Volunteers from the public are waiting to help plant the Wood. We badly need to plant several thousand trees this winter, preferably outside the country park.

“But to do so, we need to rapidly resolve the current deadlock over land ownership and we need to establish formal governance and a management authority.”