OUTLYING woods in the Dean district could be sold to the highest bidder in the next three years due to Government cuts.

In its consultation document, the Government has earmarked as 'small commercial forests', Tidenham Chase, Clanna, Bearse Common, Slade Woods – west of what it designates as 'heritage forest' – as well as two parcels of land near Lydbrook and Chase and Penyard woods, just south of Ross-on-Wye and outside the Forest of Dean district.

But the woods could be sold as part of a 40,000-hectare national sale as part of the Government's comprehensive spending review before 2014.

The woods can legally be sold now as they lie outside the Forest boundaries defined in the 1981 Forestry Act, and comprise no more than the 15% of all public woodland the Government can currently legally sell.

Forestry Commission staff at Bank House in Coleford, who have been ordered by the Government to sell woods to balance its £805,000 annual deficit, are currently analysing all the woods within the Dean division outside the statutory Forest and three contiguous woods of Highmeadow, Hope and Clearwell, to see whether they meet sale criteria published by the Government a fortnight ago.

"There is no confirmed list at this time," said deputy surveyor Kevin Stannard. "Some of these woods won't meet the criteria as presented."

The Government says woods sold should be the ones least used by the public, the hardest to access and will not lose the Forestry revenue from timber. Those with more than 10 percent of ancient trees will only be sold to "preferred purch-" or those who can demonstrate woodland manage-expertise.

If any of the woods meet the criteria, they could be sold freehold on the open market and access would only be allowed on foot, and closed to the public under various circ-.

Forest of Dean MP Mark Harper told two people who raised concerns about Tidenham Chase being leased under the terms of the Government's proposals being consulted on, that he would ask the Government if they could be included as 'heritage forest'.

At last Friday's public meeting he said that under the terms of the consultation: "We're not selling the freehold of any of them... one of the things we want to do is look at is whether actually community or local groups would want to take over responsibility on the basis that local people could look after them better.

"One of the things the Secretary of State made clear is if you were to lease them, you can protect public benefits, or even increase public ben-."

Mr Stannard also confirmed the contro-sale of Bircham Wood, near Coleford, has not yet been completed, despite an announcement late last year that the 49-acre wood was sold for an unspecified sum above £160,000 to a secret buyer who was the highest bidder.

"Contracts have yet to be exchanged," he said.

There is also a question of whether the wood is part of the Highmeadow Estate. Some HOOF supporters believe it is, and thus cannot be sold as it would be legally protected.

However, the Dean's deputy surveyor said: "According to the Forestry Commission, it isn't part of Highmeadow."