Campaign to save Henley green space

We are dismayed that the international land-agents, Chesterton Commercial (Oxon) Ltd, plan to swallow up most of a small green space at Northfield End, Henley. They have applied for planning permission for a new layout for ten parking spaces on the green. We have sent an objection to South Oxfordshire District Council. Says the society’s…

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Don’t wreck our Sundays

We have urged Torridge District Council not to permit Southdown Adventure Limited to extend its clay-pigeon shooting to Sundays at Yarnscombe, eight kilometres south-east of Bideford in Devon. It was granted permission for shooting in 2009, but not on Sundays and Mondays.  Now it wants to shoot on Sundays, and on Mondays instead of Tuesdays…

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Treasured common saved from trashing by wind factory

The Welsh Assembly Government has rejected plans by RWE Npower Renewables to erect 19 wind turbines, with tracks and infrastructure, on Mynydd-y-Gwair, a prominent hill eight miles north of Swansea. The decision follows a public inquiry last summer into RWE Npower’s appeal against Swansea Council’s refusal of planning permission. The inquiry also considered an application…

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We are relieved at Cameron’s about-turn on forest plans

‘At last the government has seen the trees for the wood.’ So we said on learning that David Cameron has abandoned plans to flog off England’s public forest estate, has called an emergency stop to the consultation on its future, and will remove clauses from the Public Bodies Bill which affect the Forestry Commission. Read…

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Our pledge to fight sale of Nottinghamshire’s forests

Speaking to local historians in Nottinghamshire, our trustee, Jean Macdonald, pledged to help fight the sale of publicly-owned woods and forests in Nottinghamshire. Jean was addressing the first Angel Row Local History Forum on Tuesday evening [15 February] in Nottingham Central Library. The forum is organised by the Nottinghamshire Local History Association and supported by…

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Victory for Kent coastland

Kent County Council has resolved to register land adjacent to Barnes car-park on Westbrook Promenade, near Margate in Kent, as a village green. We backed our member WASPS (Westbrook Against Selling Promenade Site) led by Tony Sykes, in its bid to secure rights for local people to enjoy this land for recreation, as well as…

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The fight for West Beach, Whitstable

We have joined the campaign to stop the Whitstable Oyster Fishery Company from building a café on the unspoilt West Beach at Whitstable in Kent. The society has sent an objection to Canterbury City Council. This is a lovely, unspoilt beach. The café will be an eyesore and will suburbanise it. It will interfere with…

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Public school privatisation plan bites the dust

Local Ramblers and the Open Spaces Society have led a successful bid to prevent the closure of a public footpath across the grounds of Pipers Corner, the posh public school at Great Kingshill, near High Wycombe in Bucks.  A public inquiry was held last December and the Planning Inspectorate has now published its decision. The…

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Outdoor enthusiasts speak out over Public Bodies Bill

Twelve organisations, representing a broad range of people who care about and enjoy the great outdoors, have today (4 February) issued a statement expressing their concerns about the Public Bodies Bill, currently in the House of Lords. The statement draws attention to changes proposed to the Forestry Commission and the National Park Authorities which own…

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