LONDON (Reuters) - The controversial sale of 15 percent of Britain's publicly owned forests is being put on hold while the government looks again at issues like public access and biodiversity.
A spokesman for the environment department confirmed ministers had decided to postpone the sale.
"We just want to make sure that all the protections we have talked about are in place before they go on the market," the spokesman said.
The government has said it would sell off 15 percent of the forest estate over the next four years in the hope of raising 100 million pounds ($160 million), as it seeks to cut a record budget deficit.
The announcement refers to the 15 percent of English woodland already earmarked for the sale in last October's spending review and is separate from a continuing consultation over the remaining 85 percent of public forests, the spokesman added.
A consultation into a proposed sale of large swathes of historic woodland has drawn public and political criticism, with environment groups fearing a sale would damage nature and restrict public access.
Under the government's proposals, "heritage forests," such as the New Forest and the Forest of Dean which make up about 25 percent of the estate, will be managed by charities, while commercial forests will be sold in 150-year leases to the private sector.
The Forestry Commission currently owns and manages 258,000 hectares of land -- about 18 percent of England's total woodland.
Leasehold sales could raise between 140 and 250 million pounds.
(Reporting by Caroline Copley; Editing by Steve Addison)
