Government plans to sell-off 15 per cent of England’s publically-owned forests have been put on hold. 

The proposed sale of Forestry Commission land was announced in last year’s spending review but will not get the thumbs-up until ministers “re-examine the criteria” of the sale, said environment secretary Caroline Spelman.

Under current law, the Government is allowed to sell 15 per cent of England’s woodlands in each four year public spending period. 

Spelman said the Government would review the “inadequate measures” applied to forest sales under the previous Government.

But the Department of the Environment stressed the review has no impact on the ongoing consultation to privatise the remaining 85 per cent of publically-owned forests in England.

A revised bill would allow the sale of the entire public forest estate – but the plan has come under intense scrutiny after widespread criticism.