Thanks for writing to DH Votchy - he would say that wouldnt he?
I paste a reply I had from Friends of Quantocks - I dont think they see it quite as simple : read on hope this is helpful to all!
"Thanks very much for your email and your concern over the proposed sale of land in the Quantocks. For your information, please find below the email sent to Friends of Quantock members by the FoQ committee, which gives details of how to send in objections to this sale to SCC.
Your committee has learnt with some alarm of Somerset County Council's intention to sell Great Wood, Custom Common, Over Stowey and Thorncombe Hill. These are all very important parts of the Quantock Hills AONB and we feel very strongly that they should remain in public ownership and not be disposed of to the highest bidder. While some safeguards are already in place and others might be imposed on the sale, it is clear that private ownership carries much higher risks of potential damage or neglect to these important areas, especially within the SSSI where management is all important.
The County Council has published a notice about the proposed sale (see attached) and anyone who wishes to object to the proposed disposal of the land should forward their written objection to: Honor Clark, Deputy County Solicitor, Legal Services, County Hall, Taunton TA1 4DY (ref: CNV0038/1/JAH) by 23 December 2011.
Friends of Quantock will be lodging a formal objection and we understand that the Campaign to Protect Rural England and other bodies are also considering objecting. We therefore invite all members to lodge personal objections to this proposal in order to demonstrate the strength of opinion against this proposed sale.
The matter is also receiving widespread publicity and our Chairman has been interviewed for television. The interview will be broadcast tomorrow, 14/12/11 on BBC1 Points West at 6.30 pm and on BBC Radio Somerset Sound at 7.30 am tomorrow.
[Alan Hughes, Treasurer, Friends of Quantock]