Outrage as £70m Brighouse road plan will destroy woodland next to Robin Hood's 'grave'

The Woodland Trust is objecting to the proposals by Kirklees Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Calderdale Council, for the A62/A644 (Wakefield Road) Link Road near Brighouse.

Three route options are currently on the table but all three will result in the direct loss of ancient woodland including part of Nun Bank Wood which contains the alleged resting place of the infamous outlaw.

Legend suggests that Robin died at Kirklees Priory, where he was being healed after fleeing Sherwood Forest. It is said that he shot an arrow from his bedside window asking Little John to bury him wherever it landed.

Jack Taylor, campaigner with the Woodland Trust, said: “Robin will surely be turning in his grave.

"The councils will be robbing from the rich habitat these woods provide if they plough ahead with their current proposals, leaving the local environment much poorer.

"The merry men and women of the Woodland Trust will be objecting to the plans in the strongest terms especially as it flies in the face of planning policy which states ancient woodland should not be destroyed unless a scheme is wholly exceptional.

“Ancient woodland cover stands at just two per cent in the UK. It is rare and irreplaceable. Once it’s gone it’s gone forever and we do not want this precious ecosystem to disappear into folklore.

“While not against the scheme in principle, we are quivering at the thought of losing ancient woodland to make way for it, especially one so steeped in legend.”

The public have until Friday January 18 to make their views known on the current proposals for the link road and can do so via www.kirklees.gov.uk/majorschemes.