Landmark regenerated (From Gazette Series)

Landmark regenerated

A NATURAL landmark in Uley is to be rejuvenated by a project aimed at maintaining it for future generations.

Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership is ready to regenerate the Uley Bury using part of a £2.4 million Lottery grant awarded to the whole of the area.

At 790 square miles, the Cotswold area is the largest in the country and it will see money spent in four project areas - dry stone walls, unimproved grassland, local distinctiveness and interpretation.

The Bury, which sits on a plateau high above the village of Uley, has been used to farm crops since the 1939-45 War, but its surroundings have become overgrown as the years have gone by making it a target area for managing by the partnership.

At the annual parish meeting last week parishioners were told about what was happening by Cllr Charles Goldingham, who is also one of the landowners at the Bury, and Jenny Phelps, from the partnership.

Cllr Goldingham indicated that the scheme would make the site more accessible to the public, while at the same time allowing farmers to continue to work the land without any problems.

He said: "This whole approach is a major change in the approach to farming the Bury, but we want to do our best for it because the Bury is very close to the hearts of people in the village."

Mrs Phelps then gave a specific talk about how the Bury would be worked on in the coming months.

The partnership will attempt to clear any overgrown areas of trees and shrubbery which are not naturally part of the grasslands around the site.

As well as restoring the bridleway around the area, the partnership will also install fencing to control the animals on the Bury.

They are looking to bring Cotswold sheep and Gloucester cattle onto the site, as well as several species of butterflies.

Mrs Phelps said: "We hope to get the project started by July and it should be finished by September."