A campaigner has said a new public group could help reconnect the people and the ‘people’s forest’.

Paul Morris has claimed victory after the City of London Corporation (CoL) agreed to develop plans for a public committee, giving a voice to comment on changes being made in Epping Forest.

The move follows an online petition, simply saying “Keep Epping Forest free of charge for the people”, which gained almost 15,000 signatures.

Forest parking charges and potential cycling charges from the CoL faced heavy criticism, and there are fears that proposed changes to the Epping Forest Act in parliament could give the corporation greater control and increase opportunities to use the forest to raise money.

The new group should allow more public influence on key issues, said Mr Morris.

“For me, this is the representation we were lacking.

“It is going to be a real chance to have a say on the forest, it is a victory.

“Anybody who wants to raise an issue will be able to do so.”

He added: “Recently there has been a complete disconnect between the people and the direction the forest has been taking.

“It has been quite dictatorial in what we get, and that is not right.

“It is the people’s forest so the people should have a say.”

The corporation’s Epping Forest chairman, alderman Gordon Haines, said the committee will start “as soon as possible this year”.

Proposals suggest the group will discuss conservation and environmental issues, as well as activities held in the forest – potentially including horse riding, cycling and a range of others.

Mr Haines directly referred to Mr Morris’ change.org petition and said: “The time is right to introduce a further means of consulting with users of the forest… a valuable means of discussing proposals, reviewing progress and exchanging information about key matters of concern.”

The CoL is introducing charges at five car parks in the forest, something which Mr Morris claimed was a step down from earlier suggestions of wider charges.

Paul Thomson, superintendent of the forest, said: “We have decided to introduce charges at five car parks because, as we have already made clear, it will help us manage the use of the forest car parks, which are used by commuters, shoppers, and hospital visitors, the result being that genuine forest users are often denied access to the forest.”

A report on the new public committee will be considered on March 7 and a report on car park charges will be considered in May or July.