Manx Wildlife Trust (MWT) has secured a long-term lease on two parcels of land adjacent to Hairpin Woodland Park near Ramsey, enabling the park to expand by nearly 11 acres.

The land, which had been held as Bona Vacantia after the dissolution of a former owning company, has been leased from the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) for a period of 95 years.

The new agreement complements MWT’s existing 99-year lease with the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) for other areas of the site, which began four years ago, while MWT also owns five parcels of land within the park outright.

Together, the leases and owned land provide long-term security for habitat restoration, public access, and sustainable land management at the site.

The expansion will allow for the continued restoration of the Claughbane conifer plantation into native broadleaf woodland.

Graham Makepeace-Warne, chief executive officer of Manx Wildlife Trust, said: ‘Securing this long-term lease is a hugely positive step for nature and for the Manx community.

‘By aligning the DOI and DEFA leases, we now have the certainty needed to plan for decades of woodland creation and restoration, biodiversity recovery and public engagement.

‘MWT Hairpin Woodland Park is at the heart of one of our largest population centres, showing what can be achieved when Government, charities and community partners work together for people and wildlife.

‘This long-term project aims to show that nature and wilder spaces do not need to be confined to the open countryside but can be at the heart of our urban communities too, where they can have even greater benefits for public access and our own wellbeing.’

Hairpin Woodland Park, which opened to the public in 2024, has become a key engagement site for MWT.

The additional land will allow for further woodland creation, increased biodiversity, and improved habitat connectivity, while maintaining public access to green space near the Claughbane area of Ramsey.

Minister for Infrastructure, Michelle Haywood MHK, added: ‘I am pleased that this land can now be used in a way that delivers lasting environmental and community benefits.

‘Working with Manx Wildlife Trust ensures this site will be responsibly managed for the long term, contributing to both nature recovery and public enjoyment.’

‘The Rotary Club of Douglas is proud to support MWT’s Hairpin Woodland Park,’ said Ivan Bratty, president of the Rotary Club of Douglas.

‘This project brings together environmental restoration, community wellbeing and long-term thinking, values that sit at the heart of Rotary. By working alongside MWT and other partners, we’re helping to create a space that will benefit both people and nature for generations to come.’

The expansion is supported by funding from the Rotary Club of Douglas and overseen by the independent Hairpin Woodland Park Advisory Group.

The newly leased parcels cover 10.73 acres of developing broadleaf woodland and grassland, intersected by a network of paths. MWT plans to manage the land by encouraging natural succession, increasing species diversity, and improving access for visitors.

Following the expansion, Hairpin Woodland Park now covers 73.84 acres, up from 63.11 acres.