Conservationists have completed the purchase of the 9,500-acre Rothbury Estate in Northumberland after a two-year, £30m public fundraising campaign backed by Sir David Attenborough and others. The Wildlife Trusts and Northumberland Wildlife Trust (NWT), working with a coalition of 47 conservation charities, aim to protect and enhance the estate’s natural heritage and prevent it from being divided among multiple owners.
The estate includes former grouse moors, woodland and farmland. Broadcaster Sir David Attenborough said the acquisition was an opportunity to “create something very special for future generations”. However, some local farmers opposed the campaign and described the purchase as a “stupid thing”.
Protecting the Rothbury Estate
The estate was owned by Sir Max Percy, the Duke of Northumberland’s youngest son, and had remained in his family for almost 700 years. It was believed to be the largest area of land put up for sale in England in recent decades.
Conservationists feared that dividing the property between different owners could make public access more difficult. In 2024, the wildlife organisations purchased the first parcel, which included the Simonside Hills as well as lowland, woodland, riverside and farmland.
They subsequently agreed to buy the remaining land if they could raise £30m within two years. Their ambition is to create a 40-mile (64km) “wild” corridor extending from the north-east coast to Kielder and the Scottish border.
The organisations said they used “a low-interest loan to bridge the short-term financing gap between the funds yet to be received and the funding target and to ensure completion of the entire property.”
Source: www.bbc.co.uk