Path claimed at Brook, Surrey

A public footpath will be added to the official map of rights of way, thanks to the efforts of our local correspondent, Ralph Holmes.  Ralph, who covers Waverley Borough in Surrey claimed a footpath on the Rockwood Estate, Brook, near Witley.  The path runs from near West Lodge on Haslemere Road (the A286) to Parsonage…

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Ten-point plan for candidates

We have published our ten-point plan for candidates in the general election, and have asked them to sign up to it. To see the names of those who have said they support it, in whole or part, click here. Action plan 1. A right of appeal, and a requirement to provide suitable alternative land, before public…

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New package to rescue lost ways

We have welcomed the package of proposals to government from the Stakeholder Working Group on Unrecorded Public Rights of Way. The group, consisting of representatives of user groups, landowners and local authorities, was brought together by Natural England to find a solution to recording historic paths many of which have become lost.  Its report, Stepping…

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Waverley viaduct

Our local correspondent for Carlisle, Ken West, is urging people to sign up to the petition to Carlisle City Council and Cumbria County Council, calling on them to purchase Waverley Viaduct and enable it to be restored and maintained as a historic feature and for use by walkers and cyclists. For further information contact Ken.

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High Court win for Warneford Meadow campaigners

A High Court judge has ruled that the 20-acre Warneford Meadow in east Oxford can be registered as a town green. Judge Waksman QC rejected the application for judicial review from the landowner, the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health NHS Trust.  The trust challenged Oxfordshire County Council’s decision in April 2009 to register the land…

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Fields of vision – a literary study-day

Sign up to an informal study-day devoted to the lives and writings of Richard Jefferies and Edward Thomas, on Saturday 8 May 2010 at Liddington in Wiltshire.  The day ends with a visit to St James’s church at Eastbury in West Berkshire, with a window engraved by Laurence whistler, commemorating Edward and Helen Thomas. For…

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New green in Highworth

Local campaigners have won a new village green at Barra Close, Highworth near Swindon.  However, approximately 5,000 square feet of the land had been fenced off during a neighbour dispute, and this part of the land still has to be registered as village green.  This week the fences were removed and now local campaigners are…

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The loss of Petticoat Lane

We are dismayed that Petticoat Lane in Newport, Isle of Wight, will be destroyed by Sainsbury’s development.  The society backed local objectors in their campaign to save the path. The Isle of Wight Council endorsed the path-change and a public inquiry was held in January.  The public inquiry inspector, Peter Millman, has ruled that the…

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Barratt’s pre-emptive strike

We have deplored Barratt Homes’ action last week to bulldoze The Ditches, a much-loved children’s play area, at Merton Green in Caerwent.  The Merton Green Action Group has applied to register the open space as a village green. Monmouthshire County Council, the greens registration authority, will consider the application next week and there is likely…

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‘Monumental’ Supreme Court judgment for new greens

We are delighted at today’s unanimous judgment from the Supreme Court(1) which orders Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council to register Coatham Common(2) as a village green.(3)  The society backed local inhabitants in their bid to register the land. In order for land to be registered as a green, local people need to show that a…

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