A TREE conservation group has outlined its plans to create a major woodland on the outskirts of a city.

The Woodland Trust wants to transform Low Burn Hall Farm, in Durham City, into a broadleaf forest, open to the public, featuring woodland trails and conservation projects.

The trust, the UK's leading woodland conservation charity, revealed its plans for the site, three miles from the city centre, after it bought it at auction on Wednesday night.

The 179-acre farm, which includes arable and pasture land, woodland, a four-bedroomed farmhouse, two cottages, a traditional farmstead and some modern buildings, sold for £2.4m - thought to be a record for public auctions in the North-East.

More than 100 people attended the auction, at the Honest Lawyer Hotel, near Croxdale, County Durham.

David Smith, head of property for the Woodland Trust, said the new forest would link areas of ancient woodland, giving them a better chance of survival.

Mr Smith said the trust would seek to sell the farm buildings with small areas of land, but keep control of most of the site.

Gary Haley, a Woodland Trust officer for County Durham, Teesside and Tyne and Wear, said the trust would seek to plant native trees such as oak, ash and hazel.

It is not known when the woods will be open to the public.

Low Burn Hall was previously owned by the Sedgewick family.

Speaking after the auction, John Sedgewick said: "It is a beautiful spot. I am very pleased. From what I understand, it will be a tremendous asset for Durham."

Auctioneer and rural property specialist George White said: "The three most important things with property are location, location and location. This is on the outskirts of Durham City -a very vibrant and historic city -nestled in a bend in the River Wear. It is a beautiful, tranquil place. It has oodles of potential.

"There are buildings, the potential to create more and it has the environmental aspect, which obviously attracted the buyer."

2:02am Friday 28th March 2008

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