The Royal Borough acquired the 110 acres that now make up Battlemead in August 2018.  The original statement from the Council stated that that it bought the land ‘to safeguard the open green space and improve access for residents and visitors’.  It further stated that ‘It’s important we retain the natural spaces in our borough as we recognise the benefit beautiful countryside and open space has on the health and well-being of our residents. This land also gives us an ideal opportunity to further protect this area as a habitat for wildlife while preserving a natural undeveloped boundary between the two settlements.  We have a range of options for how we can help people to enjoy this green space including reconnecting the Millennium Walk.’

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The Borough undertook the surveys required before they could change the use of the land and it was realised that there was a rich ecology in several different habitats across the site.  This has led to an on-going debate about the future of the land and, in particular, public access, and to the formation by the Council of a Friends of Battlemead group to provide a forum for those interested in Battlemead.