EPPING Forest is to receive a £4.76m Heritage Lottery grant towards to implementation of a Branching Out Project.

The money will help fund a new Interpretation Centre, next door to Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge, and a refurbished Butler's Retreat with a large exhibition area and a campus for visitors to learn about the Forest.

Easy Access Trails will also be developed to help people explore the forest more safely and confidently and over 750 children are expected to benefit from the experience of outdoor learning.

The City of London will be engaging with Capel Manor college to employ 15 apprentice arborist to learn about tree management and are hoping to restore grazing over an additional 350 hectares, subject to public consultation.

The entire scheme, which aims to provide long lasting improvements which will benefit current users and future generations, will cost £6.8 million, with the rest of the money being provided by the City of London, Essex County Council and key project partners.

Chairman of the Epping Forest and Commons Committee at the City of London Wendy Mead said: “We would like to thank everyone involved for their contribution and particularly to the Heritage Lottery Fund for this very generous grant to improve facilities and visitors’ experience at Epping Forest.

"This funding will allow us to achieve many of the much-needed changes in a much shorter period of time than anticipated.

"It will also help us develop open spaces access and education and learning for future generations at Epping Forest.”