Oldhouse Warren is a large area of ancient woodland which lies at the heart of the medieval hunting forest of Worth in the Sussex High Weald. It sits within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and adjoins an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest). Oldhouse Warren is a special place; it is structurally diverse, with several humid gills, a major assemblage of veteran trees and a biodiverse rides system of open wet and dry heath. Its birds include breeding Goshawk, Nightjar, Woodcock, Firecrest and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker to name but a few. There is an abundance of ancient woodland plants, a superb array of fungi, oceanic bryophytes, rare dragonflies and major amphibian and bat populations.
In 2021, Center Parcs announced plans to build a 900 lodge holiday village in Oldhouse Warren. The proposed development would have ripped the heart out of the forest, destroying the habitat of countless species of flora and fauna. Protect Oldhouse Warren (POW) formed in response to this threat - we raised awareness of the environmental value of the woods and came together with local people, NGO’s, charities and other campaign groups to oppose the development.
In February 2023 we won; Center Parcs pulled out of the project, acknowledging it was not a suitable location.
Although the threat from Center Parcs has gone, POW believes Oldhouse Warren remains deeply at risk from mounting incremental threats. Much of the special wildlife of the woodland is in crisis, and we predict an imminent wave of species extinctions if it cannot be brought into purposeful conservation management. This is now the emphasis of our campaign. Our mission is to:
Raise awareness of the ecological, cultural and heritage values of Oldhouse Warren and of Worth Forest as a whole.
Highlight the ongoing risks to the woodland.
Facilitate dialogue and action that supports bringing the land into conservation ownership and management.
In April 2023, we produced a Value and Riskreport that details the special values of Oldhouse Warren and the ongoing threats it faces. We believe this builds a strong case for conservation ownership and management. We are also in talks with a number of major conservation groups to help us make our vision for Oldhouse Warren and Worth Forest become a reality.
Read our Value & Risk report to understand the threats Oldhouse Warren faces and the case for conservation ownership.