Scar on the lovely face of Bowland

We have objected to plans to build 13 wind-turbines in the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Lancashire. The application is from Community Windpower Ltd, for Claughton Moor and Whit Moor, partly common land and partly open country, seven miles north-east of Lancaster. There is a public right to walk over the…

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Go for Green Spaces campaign

We have launched a fact-finding campaign, Go for Green Spaces, to advise government on its proposed new designation for green spaces. The Departments for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have announced a new designation, similar to sites of special scientific interest, ‘to protect green areas of particular…

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Welsh coastal path has a long way to go

Our member Max Grant from Gwynedd has pointed out that we are too optimistic in our statement in the latest Open Space that the coastal path in Wales is almost complete. He writes: ‘I wish it were almost complete! ‘In fact, Welsh Assembly Government funding will stop in 2013 by which time there will be…

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Wellow path safe

With the Ramblers’ Association, we have saved a path at Wellow, five miles south of Bath, from being moved to an inferior route. This follows a public inquiry held on 2 November into Bath and North East Somerset Council’s (BANES) plans to move the path. The existing route runs from Bull’s Hill south to join…

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We warn parish council against skate bowl on green

We have warned Liss Parish Council that it is unlawful to construct a skate bowl on the registered village green at West Liss in east Hampshire. The green is within the boundary of the South Downs National Park. The society has written to the chairman of the parish council to explain that such a development…

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High Court judgment puts many greens at risk

Today Mr Justice Morgan delivered judgment in the High Court on the case of Markham and Little Francis village green at Weymouth in Dorset.(1) Read it here The judge has determined that the land should not have been registered as a green, and has directed that it be removed from the register, thus laying it…

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Threat of ugly deer-fencing alongside Thames Path

We have objected to plans by Culham Court Inc to erect deer fencing, 1.8 metres high, alongside the Thames Path National Trail near Culham Court, Remenham. This is a flagship path of international, as well as national and local importance. The fencing will ruin the lovely, open view and degrade this beautiful landscape. The fencing…

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Blocked path reopened at Charlcombe, Bath

A blocked path at Valley View Road, Charlcombe, near Bath has been reopened, following pressure from the society. Supporting a local member, we mobilised the local councillor and the Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) Council’s parks department and public rights of way department. The path, which leads to the allotments and a local football…

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Chiltern common freed of fence and keep-out notices

We are delighted that Yeoman Homes has removed the ugly fencing which blocked access to the lovely Layters Green Common, near Chalfont St Peter in the Buckinghamshire Chilterns. The Open Spaces Society, with Chalfont St Peter Parish Council, called on Chiltern District Council to take enforcement action against the works which were erected on the…

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Westfield Common, Woking, saved from degradation

A public-inquiry inspector has rejected Woking Borough Council’s plans to swap part of Westfield Common at Woking in Surrey, to provide an access road to a potential new housing development. The decision from the inspector, Heidi Cruickshank, followed a public inquiry last July into the application for the exchange of common land, to which there…

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