Quy Fen consultation on common rights

Quy Fen consultation on common rights – comments by 28 April

Quy Fen is an area of some 70 acres of grassland and scrub owned by the villages of Quy, Fen Ditton and Horningsea. This area was given to the villages probably when the Fens were drained and is looked after by Quy Fen Trustees, two representatives nominated annually by each of the three Parish Councils. Several public footpaths cross the site, which is open to all members of the public.

In the Fen’s early days common rights holders from all three villages would work down there cutting hay and stover, or in winter gathering firewood, but at some time (probably during the war) the whole area was fenced as one and rented out to a grazier, with any profits from rent being divided equally between the three villages. In the 1950’s Natural England decided that it should be listed as an Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of the very rare flora and fauna living there. This meant many restrictions on the way it was to be farmed, to the detriment of the amount of rental which could be expected. Natural England promised to pay the difference each year that the rent would have been, plus any extra work needed to maintain the Fen in its existing condition. Over the years Quy Fen Trust has been allocated several thousand pounds each year, and put in several ponds and hedge rows to benefit the environment. Each year the Trustees look at any excess of income over expenditure and may allocate a sum to each village account (ca £250). These funds can be requested to spend on any suitable environmental projects in that village.

In recent years the grant has come from the Rural Payments Agency, in the form of one to five year Stewardship schemes. It came as some surprise when the Trust’s application for a Stewardship Grant was turned down on the basis that it is common land. It seems that since Brexit a new team is organising the system with different rules.

Each of the three Parish Councils now has to advertise the Trust’s application in the villages so that anyone who has any comment to make on the application can do so before each Parish Council approves it on your behalf.

Please contact Horningsea’s Parish Clerk no later than 28 April if you wish to make any comments on the Trust’s application:

Hayley Livermore email: clerk@horningsea.net