We oppose plan for Baddesley Common

We have objected to the Friends of Baddesley Common’s plan to construct a pond on the common, near Atherstone in north Warwickshire. We have sent an objection to North Warwickshire District Council, because the pond will be detrimental to the existing landscape, will result in the loss of a rare habitat, and will interfere with…

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Losehill Hall sold off: we have reservations

We have mixed feelings about the announcement from the Peak District National Park Authority that Losehill Hall, the world-famous national park learning centre, is to be sold to the Youth Hostels Association (YHA). The society favoured the bid from the Field Studies Council, and when the park opted for the YHA’s tender, had hoped that…

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Westfield Common, Woking, threatened again

Woking Borough Council is consulting interest groups and local people on plans to swap part of Westfield Common.  The intention is to provide an access road to a potential new housing development north of Moor Lane. Woking Council wanted to deregister 387 square metres of the common.  It is wet woodland and a Site of…

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Localism Bill is a muddle for open spaces

We today roundly condemn the Localism Bill, the government’s flagship measure for giving people power to run their own lives and neighbourhoods.  The bill is due for second reading in the House of Commons on Monday 17 January. Our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, says: ‘One of the bill’s most important aspects-the care and future of…

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Crash landing for microlight plans

We are delighted that Aylesbury Vale District Council has refused planning permission to Mr Mark Fowler to fly microlight aircraft from Bernwood Farm, Botolph Claydon in mid Bucks. The application was retrospective: Mr Fowler, the tenant of Bernwood Farm, was already flying aircraft there without consent. We backed our member the Botolph Claydon Quiet Society…

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Common land is key to the Welsh environment

We have responded to the Welsh Assembly Government’s consultation on A Living Wales—a new framework for our environment, our countryside and seas, by calling on it to recognise the importance of common land to the nation. Says Kate Ashbrook, our general secretary: ‘Common land covers over eight per cent of the land area of Wales.…

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Warwickshire’s threat to scrap paths team

We have responded angrily to Warwickshire County Council’s Head of Transport and Highways, Graeme Fitton, who has threatened to scrap the council’s Countryside Access Team. Mr Fitton has told us that the council needs to save £60 million by 2014 and that it is taking ‘a closer look’ at the countryside access service ‘with a…

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