An ancient woodland being put up for sale has prompted an application to designate its footpaths as public rights of way, in order to protect access to the land.

Stevenage's Box Wood lies off Stevenage Road, partly within a site of Archaeological Significance and an Ancient Monument.

Concerns over the future of the privately-owned wood were first raised when the 60-acre site was parcelled up into plots of land and put up for auction in July 2020, with a 42-acre plot sold for £139,000 in October last year.

The Friends of Box Wood community group has been campaigning to protect the land from development, and a year-long campaign by Stevenage borough councillor Tom Wren to have the footpaths in Box Wood designated as public rights of way has now taken a step forward.

After research and evidence gathering, Cllr Wren, who represents Chells, submitted an application to Herts County Council. He said: "The council has agreed the application is valid and made it number 13 in the priority list, out of many hundreds waiting to be looked at.

"However, it could still be a few years until the council fully investigates and decides on the application."

The application includes witness statements from 24 people, to prove the paths have been used for more than 20 years. It also includes historical 19th century maps and heatmaps showing public activity on the paths.

Cllr Wren said: "This application starts the process of securing the public’s right to use the paths."

Box Wood is also registered as an Asset of Community Value and protected with a tree preservation order and Article 4 direction, which withdrew permitted development rights.

A county council spokesman said: "We have received the application and logged the claim. It can take several years for a path to be legally recognised as a public right of way and formally recorded on the definitive map.

"We need to look at the evidence and establish whether the public have used specific paths within Box Wood - rather than generally wandering within the woods - as of right for at least 20 years.

"The sale of the land will not affect either the process or the decision."

Cllr Wren is still seeking witness statements. Email tom.wren@stevenage.gov.uk.