Holton Pits: Bid to buy fishing lake and dog walking spot

Holton Pits, near Halesworth, was put on the market in August by property consultants Fisher German on behalf of landowner CEMEX.

CEMEX were asking for £200,000 for the 20-acre plot of land, including the fishing lake.

This sparked a community outcry and fuelled the creation of the Holton Pits Community Interest Company (CIC) and action was taken to raise money to buy the land.

Holton Pits Fishing Lake on a beautiful sunny day (Image: Submitted)

The campaigners managed to secure an Asset of Community Value (ACV) designation for the pits, preventing the immediate sale.

Now the CIC is in a race against time before the ACV status runs out in May, leaving CEMEX free to market the site again.

The 2016 Waveney Wildlife Audit says the grassland at Holton pits is lichen-rich and hugely beneficial to many species (Image: Submitted)

Marion Gaze, a member of the CIC, said: "It is a place people go and walk in the fresh air, go for recreational purposes and general wellbeing, dog walking and fishing and sports club use the area.

"The site has been used by locals endlessly since they stopped quarrying it

"We are facing a race against time."

Holton Pits Preservation group congregate at the site to discuss their bid (Image: Submitted)

In total, the CIC needs £200,000 but has already raised £140,000 in loan pledges from grants, businesses and individuals.

To raise the remaining £60,000 the group have created a gofundme page.

Group member Rachel Kellett has been cycling frantically to see how many miles she can cover on her bike to raise funds.

Holton pits group members, front left to right: Jamie Leverett, Gaina Dunsire, Marion Gaze and Rachel Kellett (Image: Bruno Brown)

A big contribution has come from local business Hammonds, based in Halesworth, which generously donated £10,000.

While a reptile relocation scheme, being planned on neighbouring land and linked to a housing development plan, has donated £10,000 to Save Holton Pits.

The fishing lake at Holton Pits (Image: Charlotte Bond)

The payment to the field by Hastoe Homes, together with their contractor Rose Builders, is part of a lizard and slow worm translocation requirement from their affordable housing scheme in Martlesham.

Ulrike Maccariello, development director at Hastoe Homes, said: “Our own work is designed to support local communities, with wildlife and sustainability."

With at least £40,000 still to raise, the group is facing a race against time.

To donate visit: //holtonpits.uk/how-to-give/

The former quarry is was listed for sale in August with 17 bidders to buy the land (Image: Charlotte Bond)