The petition of residents of the United Kingdom,
Declares that Upton Heath is a vital natural asset to the people of Mid Dorset and North Poole; notes that Upton Heathland is a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation; and further declares that local people oppose the use of Upton Heath for mineral extraction, which could damage biodiversity in the area.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to take action to secure the preservation of the whole of Upton Heath as a public natural asset.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Vikki Slade, Official Report, 16 April 2026; Vol. 783, c. 1084.]
[P003186]
Observations from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mary Creagh):
Protecting our most precious natural habitats is a priority for this Government. Upton Heath is a nationally and internationally important site, designated as a site of special scientific interest, a special protection area and a special area of conservation, and it is right that local people have taken action to protect it for the future.
I am pleased to note that Dorset Wildlife Trust has recently secured the purchase of a key parcel of land at Upton Heath, supported by Dorset council, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council, and a remarkable public fundraising effort that raised over £100,000 in just two weeks. This is a significant and welcome step, and the immediate risk of mineral extraction on that parcel has been removed.
However, I recognise that this acquisition does not fully resolve the concerns raised in the petition. DWT previously managed the land, but that arrangement was not renewed by the previous owner and the condition of the heathland has since been in decline. Records from the last 20 years show that Upton is one of the heathlands most impacted by fire in all of Dorset. There has also been unregulated use of motorcycles and BMX bikes, causing erosion and a loss of habitat, and preventing restorative actions. Restoration work is needed to reinstate heathland, deliver conservation benefits and improve public access.
The absence of active management has increased the vulnerability of the site. Without grazing to manage vegetation, fire risk is significantly elevated, and without a single landowner, it has not been possible to install firebreaks or restore the hydrology of the former mineral workings. As the majority landowner, DWT is now best placed to do that.
Natural England, as the statutory body responsible for protected sites, has already contacted Dorset Wildlife Trust to discuss the long-term management of Upton Heath, and is supporting it and other partners, including Dorset council, BCP council and the Dorset Heaths Partnership, to develop a restoration and management plan for the heath.
Funding for the ongoing work is likely to come primarily through Countryside Stewardship, a Government scheme that supports landowners and managers in their actions to manage habitats, protect wildlife and improve public access to the countryside. Another potential source of funding is the Dorset heathlands planning framework, a fund contributed to by housing developers, which can cover things like wardens, visitor management and physical improvements to the site. The remarkable public fundraising effort to save Upton Heath also presents a valuable opportunity to engage the community in caring for and using the heath responsibly in the years ahead.