Let’s make ‘a night under the stars’ a reality

Following the judgment of the Supreme Court in Darwall v Dartmoor National Park Authority, we are calling on English and Welsh governments to legalise wild (backpack) camping on all open country.    The court found that the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 confers, on those entering on foot or horseback, a right to wild camp on the…

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Come to our members’ day this September

To celebrate our 160th birthday, and the new access-structures and trees on our land at Parliament Piece in Kenilworth, we invite members to join us there on Saturday 13 September, 11.00-16.00.  Come for coffee, talks, and lunch, a visit to the historic Abbey Barn, and an afternoon walk around the historic Parliament Piece led by…

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We help to secure new common land at Yateley, Hampshire

We have welcomed a decision to take new land into Yateley Common at Cottage Farm.  Paul Freer, BA (Hons) LLM PhD MRTPI, a Planning Inspectorate inspector, granted the application of Falcon Propco4 Ltd (the owner of Blackbushe aerodrome) to deregister just over 14 hectares of aerodrome common land, and designate about the same area of…

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West Northamptonshire Council told to reopen blocked paths

We have scored an important legal victory against West Northamptonshire Council which has tried unlawfully to close parts of three public footpaths at Staverton, two miles west of Daventry.   The footpaths had been illegally obstructed by gates and fences at Wellbrook Lodge.  Instead of carrying out its statutory duty to secure their removal[1] , the…

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Dartmoor land restored as common

We are delighted that another, extensive, piece of the Dartmoor National Park in Devon has been registered as common land.  Planning Inspector Mark Yates has granted the society’s application to register as common about 12 square kilometres known as Walkhampton Common.  The land, which is immediately south-west of Princetown, is grazed and uncultivated.  In 1968,…

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