CALLS to safeguard a multi-award winning nature reserve for future generations have been renewed this week after its sale to an unspecified housing developer reportedly fell through.

Tice’s Meadow Nature Reserve in Badshot Lea is back on the open market, after owners Hanson failed to reach agreement with their preferred bidder, say the Tice’s Meadow Bird Group.

The voluntary group has in recent years transformed the site from a former Hanson sand quarry to one of the best locations to spot migratory birds in the south east.

However, having seen previous community attempts to buy the site thwarted, the Bird Group expressed its disappointment this week, having received news of the re-marketing of the site from an estate agent.

The sale of the nature reserve has dragged on since May 2019, with Hanson rejecting multiple bids from both Farnham Town Council and Waverley Borough Council, which could have ensured the long-term future of the valued community asset.

An open letter to Hanson, sent in October 2019 and signed by more than 40 local conservation organisations, residents groups and politicians, has been ignored by Hanson, say the group.

And the future of the Tice’s Meadow Bird Group itself has again been called into question as the role of the community volunteer group has not been documented or formalised by Hanson, despite the fact its members conduct the vast majority of management tasks on site.

The Bird Group believes Hanson has “lost interest in managing the nature reserve” – and is pressing Surrey County Council to negate the first year of aftercare, and reset the clock on the 20-year aftercare period”.

This would effectively prohibit any house building on the site for another two decades.

The importance of the nature reserve to the local community has recently been formally recognised by Waverley Borough Council, which has listed the site as an Asset of Community Value.

In future, any landowner which wishes to sell the site will now be legally required to give the local community six weeks to decide if they wish to buy it, and then six months to raise the money, although it does not have to accept the community’s offer.

An online petition to Save Tice’s Meadow has now reached more than 7,000 signatures.

The Herald has approached Hanson for a comment.