Posts by Daniel Cregin
United Utilities withdraws controversial Lake District fencing scheme
We are delighted that United Utilities (UU) has withdrawn its controversial application for 10 kilometres of fencing on common land above Thirlmere in the heart of the Lake District National Park. A public inquiry was due to open on 17 November. UU wants to carry out further consultation about its plans in the hope of…
Read MoreBucks common freed of unlawful fence
We are delighted that unlawful fencing has been removed from Pinner Green common, near Latimer in Buckinghamshire. In 2013 it was reported that a local landowner had erected barbed-wire fencing around the small piece of common land which adjoins Blackwell Hall Lane, to prevent fly-tipping. The land is owned by Chiltern District Council. The fencing…
Read MoreProtest over Clapham Common quagmire
Clapham Common has again been left resembling a sea of mud following the latest huge music event. We are writing to Lambeth Council to protest. A vast swathe of the common has again been devastated, only a year after the same area of the common was left like a quagmire by the same Lock N…
Read MoreNew interpretation-board celebrates ancient Warwickshire meadow
On Tuesday 1 September, the Open Spaces Society, Warwick District Council and the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust unveiled a new, interpretation-board on Parliament Piece. This is a 15-acre meadow to the west of the A429 road at Kenilworth. Parliament Piece is believed to be the site of the second-oldest parliament, held by Henry III. The land was given…
Read MoreMixed decisions on Hackney Marshes developments
We are pleased that plans by the London Borough of Hackney to site a car-park on Hackney Marshes (East) have been refused, but concerned that a pavilion and car-park on Hackney Marshes (North) have been allowed. The Planning Inspectorate has determined applications for these works on common land, on behalf of the Secretary of State…
Read MoreRefusal of access track across historic Cumbrian common
We are delighted that the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has refused to allow an access track to be driven across ancient common land at Newbiggin, near Penrith in Cumbria. The common is known as Public Watering Place and has a number of springs with a series of ancient stone troughs…
Read MoreWe slate Derbyshire’s plan to ‘shoot itself in the foot’
We have slated Derbyshire County Council’s plans to cut its budget for public rights of way and reduce the staff, significantly lengthening the time it takes to deal with path problems. We say the council is shooting itself in the foot. We have responded to the council’s questionnaire in which the council proposes severely to…
Read MoreThe Elinor Ostrom Award for practitioners: video
The society was proud to receive the first Elinor Ostrom Award for practitioners, two years ago in Japan. This time, our general secretary Kate Ashbrook was one of the judges. She went to the biennial conference of the International Association for the Study of the Commons (IASC) in Edmonton, Canada, in May and presented the…
Read MoreUnlawful building on Clapham Common must stop
Lambeth Council has been unlawfully permitting large structures to be built on Clapham Common and the practice must stop. We have been provided with advice from an eminent QC confirming that Lambeth Council has been flouting legislation designed to protect the borough’s parks and open spaces. Over recent years the council has allowed a…
Read MoreHundreds enjoy Big Picnic on Wycombe Rye to celebrate 50th anniversary of its rescue
We are delighted that the Big Picnic, which we organised jointly with the High Wycombe Society on Wycombe Rye on Sunday 9 August, was a huge success. The event was to celebrate the rescue of The Rye from a road scheme 50 years ago as well as marking our 150th anniversary. Says Jackie Kay, the…
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