Growth and Infrastructure Bill: threat to greens
The Growth and Infrastructure Bill clause 13 will make it more difficult, if not downright impossible, to register land as a town or village green once it has been identified for development. The Bill says that a ‘trigger event’—which includes first publication of a planning application or identification of the land for potential development in…
Read MoreGovernment rides roughshod over rights of local people
The Growth and Infrastructure Bill has today been introduced in the House of Commons. Says Kate Ashbrook, our general secretary, ‘It contains damaging measures which will severely restrict the opportunity for local people to register rights they have established over a twenty year period (1), where they have used land for recreation, and to have…
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Our five-point action-plan to save commons from encroachment
We have today (17 October) set out our action plan for dealing with unlawful encroachments on common land. Our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, is speaking at the annual meeting of the Association of Commons Registration Authorities in Birmingham. Says Kate: ‘Common land is at risk from being eaten away by encroachment. Too often adjoining property-owners…
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Cramber Tor controversy
We have objected strongly to the application from the Ministry of Defence for the continuation of ‘dry training’ (ie not live firing) at Cramber Tor on south-west Dartmoor, for an indefinite period. We consider that the application conflicts with the statutory purposes of national parks and with the Dartmoor National Park Authority’s policies, particularly its…
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Common land: a manifesto for horse-riders
We shall today propose a manifesto for horse-riders on common land. Our case officer, Nicola Hodgson, is speaking at the British Horse Society’s National Access Conference at Stoneleigh. Says Nicola: ‘Common land is immensely important for recreational horse-riding. It provides extensive areas of open country where people can ride safely, in wonderful landscapes which have…
Read MoreOSS again recommended as appointing body to National Trust Council
The Open Spaces Society is a current appointing body to the National Trust Council. A ballot is held every six years for the election of 26 organisations which will have the right to appoint someone as a member of the Council. Our appointee is Beverley Penney who has done an excellent job for us. We…
Read MoreWe oppose new golf-course on common land
We have objected to a planning application, from Old Thorns Golf and Country Club, to create a new golf-course on a heathland common near Liphook in the South Downs National Park. We consider the golf course will be highly damaging to the superb landscape of the area and people’s enjoyment of it. Common land is…
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Slow the traffic on unfenced commons
We have called for a universal speed-limit of 40 mph where unfenced roads cross common land. The society has responded to a consultation from the Department for Transport on the revision of its speed-limit circular. The Department favours a speed limit of 40 mph for roads ‘with a predominantly local, access or recreational function’ and…
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Brutal turbines of Mynydd y Gwair common
We have objected strongly to a planning application from RWE npower to site 16 wind turbines, with tracks and infrastructure, on Mynydd y Gwair common, a majestic hillside eight miles north of Swansea. There have been a number of turbine applications here in the past to which the society has objected. This is registered common…
Read MoreEssex seafront open space saved for public enjoyment
Essex County Council has registered an open space at Brighton Road, Holland-on-Sea near Clacton-on-Sea as a town green. The application for green status was made by Mrs Sharon Bennett, a member of the society, in 2009 on the grounds that local people had used the land for informal recreation, without asking permission or being stopped,…
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