CHILDREN skip through a forest meadow and walkers head through an underpass featuring a woodland-themed community mural and sculpture.

These computer generated images offer a glimpse of plans for York’s new community woodland,.

It comes as City of York Council looks set to hand over full responsibility for the woodland's creation and management to Forestry England.

Final designs and operational plans for the woodland at Knapton are set to see 50,000 trees planted by spring 2023, increasing later to 80,000.

The wood will serve as a new green space for the city, increasing the amount and quality of diverse habitats for wildlife, improving the city’s air quality and acting as a carbon sink to absorb some of the emissions produced in York.

Under proposals to be considered on Wednesday by the executive member for climate change and environment, Cllr Paula Widdowson, Forestry England is recommended to be confirmed as the delivery partner.

It would spend £2 million to develop and manage the woodland, with the council retaining annual income and control through a management board.

Future plans for the area would include cycle paths, play areas, sensory gardens, wooded areas, a wildflower meadow, a cafe, a commercial area and a forestry school.

The woodland is part of the Government’s Northern Forest initiative, which aims to plant 50 million new trees across the north of England.

Cllr Widdowson said the plans were progressing at pace.

“The new community woodland is a flagship scheme in our efforts to make York an even greener and cleaner city for generations to come,” she said.