Representatives from 16 local groups will come together for the first time to debate the future of Epping Forest.

The City of London Corporation, which manages the ancient woodland, will hold the first ever meeting of the Epping Forest Consultative Committee on January 24.

Committee members from local organisations will offer views on policy involving heritage, recreation and conservation decisions at the forest.

The first meeting will be held at the Hope Centre in High Road, Loughton, and will be open for the public to attend.

Philip Woodhouse, chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee, said: “This is a big step forward in bringing the people who use and enjoy the Forest closer to the decision-making process.

“We want to make sure that Epping Forest continues to be managed in an open and inclusive way.

“This new forum will be a great opportunity for all of us to share ideas which can improve our enjoyment of the forest.”

Stretching from Leyton to Epping, the forest is London and Essex’s largest open space and attracts around five million visits a year.

It is home to 55,000 ancient trees, including beeches thought to have been growing in the area since Anglo-Saxon times, making them some of the oldest living plants in Europe.