Copeland could become part of the largest environmental regeneration project in England, as council leaders are set to consider moving forward with plans to create a “Coastal Community Forest” in Cumbria.

The borough council’s executive leaders will consider next week whether to get behind plans for the creation of a “Coastal Community Forest” as part of the nationwide Community Forest programme.

The programme, established in 1990 by the Countryside Commission, aims to promote economic and social regeneration of an area through the regeneration of woodland areas, and the creation of new woodland.

Ten Community Forests have been created in the past 30 years, and with discussion now taking place over where the next three will be located, it is proposed that one of those locations be in in Copeland.

Copeland’s executive will decide next Tuesday whether it supports the submission of an expression of interest for Cumbria to be considered as the site of a new Community Forest.

The England-wide Community Forests scheme is now the largest environmental regeneration initiative in the country, and aims to be a long-term investment in places, delivered by a partnership of public, private and voluntary sectors.

Across the next five years, the nationwide scheme aims to plant more than 6,000 hectares of new woodland.

A proposal for one of the next community forests to be sited in Cumbria has arisen out of discussions in October and November last year between Copeland Council and its west coast counterparts, Allerdale and Barrow Councils, along with a number of others including the National Trust and the Cumbria Wildlife Trust.

Stemming from this was an initial plan of action to develop an expression of interest, before putting together a full bid.

An exact site for the proposed Coastal Community Forest has not yet been identified.

However, the area within the Copeland borough set to be explored as a possible location is described in a report prepared for next week’s executive meeting as “broadly those between the boundary of the Lake District National Park and the coast”.

“Any future Community Forest Plan would be consulted upon, ensuring that the views of residents, businesses and stakeholders are taken into account,” the report added.