Round Two In The Battle To Save The Warcop Commons In Cumbria From The Military
On Tuesday 30 October we resume our opposition to the applications of the Secretary of State for Defence to deregister the extensive Warcop commons(1). The applications, if granted, would cause Burton, Hilton and Murton Fells, in the Cumbrian North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, to cease to be common land after centuries—perhaps even a…
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Appalling Decision To Allow Wind Turbines On Powys Beauty-Spot
A Welsh Government minister has approved an application for seven wind-turbines at Llandegley Rocks, near Llandrindod Wells in Powys. The decision overturns the recommendation of an inspector at a public inquiry held in March. The Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, has rejected the report of the inspector, planner Hywel Wyn…
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John Underhill-Day, 1943-2018
Kate Ashbrook writes: We are sad to report the untimely death of John Underhill-Day at the age of 74. He was an excellent all-round naturalist with expertise in common land, and a good friend to the society. John was born in St Albans, Hertfordshire, and educated at Lancing College in West Sussex, which he hated.…
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Fight to stop major development at Harrow School
We have objected to Harrow School’s appeal against the refusal of planning permission for a new science building and sports hall. The society, which is concerned to protect public paths and open spaces, considers that the development would have a significant impact on Metropolitan Open Land and the attractive, historic landscape of the area, as…
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We fight common-land swap at the Canyons
We have objected to an application from Peakman Ltd to remove part of Mynydd Llanhilleth Common from the common-land register. This popular common is near Abertillery in south Wales. As part of its plan to extract aggregates from the nearby quarry, Peakman wants to widen the existing Blaen y Cwm road and create parking bays.…
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We call for greater protection of green spaces in cities
We have welcomed the Welsh Conservative Party’s consultation paper Liveable Cities and its support for parks and green spaces and sustainable transport in cities. In responding, the society has made some new proposals. While it welcomes the paper’s recommendation that local authorities should be required to submit plans that highlight land which can be made…
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Support for public access is in the Agriculture Bill
We have welcomed the support for public access to and enjoyment of the countryside in the new Agriculture Bill which was published on 12 September. With the Ramblers, British Horse Society and other outdoor organisations, we lobbied for agricultural payments to be directed to providing more and better access to the public. The Agriculture Bill…
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Unique opportunity
With 54 organisations representing countryside, recreation and wildlife interests we have signed a letter to the Prime Minister, calling for the forthcoming Agriculture Bill to enable farmers to provide benefits to the landscape, public access and animal welfare. We welcome the government’s commitment to develop new farming and land management policies that provide public funds…
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Threat to valued footpath at Tisbury, Wiltshire
We have objected to a planning application from the Wardour School governors to move a public footpath (Tisbury footpath 83) which runs across a field adjacent to the school. The school wants to fence in the path with steel post-and-wire mesh. The school has previously tried to move the path under the Highways Act 1980,…
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Our clash with the military over threat to Cumbrian commons
We are set to clash with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) at the forthcoming public inquiry into the government’s application to deregister three large upland commons in Cumbria: Burton & Warcop fells, Murton and Hilton. This would turn the commons into private land and the application threatens to be the largest inclosure of common land…
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