Conservationists have completed the purchase of the 9,500-acre Rothbury Estate in Northumberland after a two-year, £30m public fundraising campaign backed by Sir David Attenborough and others. The Wildlife Trusts and Northumberland Wildlife Trust (NWT), working with a coalition of 47 conservation charities, plan to protect and enhance the estate’s moorland, woodland, riverside and farmland, after raising concerns that it could otherwise be divided among multiple owners.
Protecting the Rothbury Estate
The estate, owned by Sir Max Percy, the Duke of Northumberland’s youngest son, had been in the Percy family for almost 700 years. It was believed to be the largest area of land put up for sale in England in recent decades.
Concerned that a division of the property could make public access more difficult, the conservation groups bought their first parcel in 2024. That area included the Simonside Hills, along with lowland, woodland, riverside and farmland.
They later agreed to buy the remaining land if they could raise £30m within two years. Their ambition is to create a 40-mile (64km) “wild” corridor extending from the north-east coast to Kielder and the Scottish border.
The groups said they used “a low-interest loan to bridge the short-term financing gap between the funds yet to be received and the funding target and to ensure completion of the entire property.”
Support and opposition
Sir David Attenborough said the project was an opportunity to “create something very special for future generations”.
However, not everyone supported the campaign. Some local farmers described the purchase as a “stupid thing”.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
