Poor’s Acre Common—a new pocket park
In January 2005, at about the time the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, giving a right to roam on registered common land and mapped open country was taking effect, we had a letter from a vigilant member, Dick Denton. Dick was concerned that there were three pieces of registered common land in Great…
Read MoreWe lend our voice to Cumbrian turbine fight
We have added our voice to the opposition to wind turbines near Killington Reservoir in Cumbria, and have sent an objection to South Lakeland District Council. The council is considering an application from Banks Renewables Ltd for three wind turbines and associated development, just north of Killington Reservoir (junction 37 on the M6). Junction 37…
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Race against time for Amber Valley residents’ green spaces
Residents of Amber Valley Borough in Derbyshire face a race against time to protect their threatened open spaces. The Growth and Infrastructure Bill, currently in the House of Lords, will outlaw applications to register land as a village green once it has been identified for development. If land has been used by local people for…
Read MoreGovernment’s spiteful move on village greens
In a spiteful move against local volunteers, the government proposes to deny the two-month grace period before it drops the guillotine on applications to register development-land as village greens. The Growth and Infrastructure Bill, currently in the House of Lords, will prevent local people from applying to register land as greens if it is earmarked…
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Fighting the merger of countryside agencies
The society was one of 23 signatories of a letter which was published in Friday’s Times (15 March 2013), opposing the threatened merger of the Environment Agency and Natural England. The letter is reproduced below. The horsemeat scandal highlights the need for well-resourced, independent, science-led agencies that can bring their specific expertise to bear in…
Read MoreWe blast motorsports development on common land
We objected strongly to a planning application for a major motor-racing development on registered common land. The so-called Circuit of Wales would be on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park, north of Ebbw Vale. The Heads of the Valleys Development Company wants to build a 3.5-mile long racetrack, 4×4 circuit, international kart track…
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Time is running out for village greens
‘Time is running out for our town and village greens.’ So says the society as the House of Lords is set to debate on Tuesday (12 March) the threat to greens posed by the Growth and Infrastructure Bill. The bill has reached report stage and we are urging members of the House of Lords to…
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‘Heavenly’ Carmarthenshire commons at risk from wind-development
We have objected to two applications from RES UK & Ireland Ltd for wind turbines and associated works on common land in Carmarthenshire. RES wants to erect 21 wind turbines, 15 of them on common land, with met masts, access tracks, hardstanding, highway widening and fencing. The commons are Mynydd Llanllwni Common and Mynydd Llanfighangel…
Read MoreEssex woodland protected as village green
Ancient woodland north of Coombe Wood in Thundersley, Essex, has been registered as a village green by Essex County Council. The society has given support and advice to the applicant, Friends of Coombe Wood, over many years. The Friends succeeded in registering part of Coombe Wood in 2007, but the northern part was excluded. The…
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Two new greens are registered in Kent for local people to enjoy
Two new village greens have been registered in Kent: Four Acres Green in East Malling and Willow Road Green in Larkfield. Now they are protected for ever more. Four Acres Green was set aside as a play area when the council estate was built in the 1960s. It has been used for informal recreation ever…
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