The shape of a well-loved forest near Broughton looks set to change after plans to cut some of the trees were passed at the third time of asking.

The ancient woodland at Knott Wood on Back Lane can now undergo management to cut the tops off and allow smaller trees to grow beneath the current canopy.

The woodland, owned by Michael Danbury, of Formby in Liverpool, failed twice to get permission to thin the treetops despite having a license to do so from the Forestry Commission.

The Lake District National Park Authority had previously stepped in to stop what it called ‘permanent damage to the forest floor’ when the owner asked to put in a new hard road surface and a permanent gate, with an application being rejected.

Knott Wood, which is used by families, bird watchers and dog walkers, will start to see a change to the horizon once cutting takes place.

The refusal by the LDNPA to allow parts of the ancient woodland to be cut came on the back of an earlier failed application by the same applicant to take away from the forest canopy.

The proposals related to the creation of a new forestry access road, used in connection with the ongoing management of Knott Wood.

A supporting statement from Steven Abbott Associates, acting on behalf of owner Mr Danbury, said: “The access we want to build is six metres wide and a proposed timber gate will be set back from the highway by three metres.

“A level area will be created, measuring approximately 20 metres by seven metres.

“This space is required for the parking of vehicles, storage of timber and the loading and unloading of timber and equipment used in the management of the woodland.”

A previous application made in 2017 was also refused by the LDNPA because the applicant ‘had not demonstrated that the development was reasonably necessary for the purposes of forestry and could result in landscape harm’.

The LDNPA said: “The applicant is the private landowner of the woodlands.

“He required the changes in connection with management of his woodland.

“The changes can now take place but with no new hard surface of structures being built.”

Harry Tonge, from Steven Abbott Associates, acting on behalf the landowner, said: “It is not the intention of our client to fell a significant number of the trees.”

A spokesperson for The Woodland Trust said: “Woods do need management and there are techniques to restore planted ancient woodland sites, for instance, that require thinning of conifers to enable the ancient woodland to regenerate.”

The LDNPA said: “We remind owners of private woodland to go through our pre-applications advice service first to avoid applications such as Knott Wood being rejected.”