Oxfordshire parish reopened
‘Three and a half years of negotiation, and finally legal pressure on Oxfordshire County Council and on landowners, have reopened several kilometres of long-blocked public paths in the parish of Tetsworth, south Oxfordshire’, says Kate Ashbrook, our general secretary. Kate adds: ‘Most people whizz past Tetsworth on the M40 in seconds, never noticing the spacious…
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Right to backpack camp on Dartmoor’s commons confirmed by appeal court
We are delighted that three judges in the court of appeal have unanimously overturned the high court ruling and resolved that there is a right to backpack (wild) camp on Dartmoor’s common land. The full judgment can be read here. The society intervened in the court of appeal to support the Dartmoor National Park Authority…
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An update on the Dartmoor backpack-camping appeal
The court of appeal hearing of Dartmoor National Park Authority and Open Spaces Society v Darwall was on 18 July, and can be watched here. Our aim was to overturn the ruling of Sir Julian Flaux in the high court in January that the term ‘open-air recreation’ in section 10 of the Dartmoor Commons Act…
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Missing piece of Hudnall Common is restored
We are delighted by the decision of Hertfordshire County Council, the commons registration authority, to grant our application to register as common land just under four hectares adjoining the northern boundary of Hudnall Common, Hertfordshire. The land, which is one mile east of Little Gaddesden, comprises trees, ferns and bushy undergrowth and was formerly part…
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We slate government for lack of action on public access
‘The Open Spaces Society is often critical of the government’s approach to open access opportunities.’ So said our chairman, Phil Wadey, in his keynote speech our AGM on 6 July. He continued: ‘Back in January, the government announced an environmental improvement plan for England which aspired to having every household no more than “a 15-minutes’…
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Doughty Diane Andrewes, is elected our vice-president
Our annual general meeting has elected activist Diane Andrewes as one of our vice-presidents. Diane, a resident of Bursledon, south Hampshire, since 1964, has been a member of the society for more than 30 years. She served as a trustee from 1993-1995, 2007-09, and 2012-2018. Diane is a founder member of the Bursledon Rights of…
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Refused: road across Dunsfold Common, Surrey
We are delighted that a planning inspector has rejected a proposed access-road across Dunsfold Common, 14 kilometres south of Guildford in Surrey. The application for a 5.5-metre-wide road, with 1.5-metre-wide footway and associated works, was made for Sigma Homes Ltd, the prospective developer, by Batcheller Monkhouse, surveyors and town planners. The proposed road was to…
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Land at Hatfield House restored as common
We are celebrating the decision of Hertfordshire County Council, the commons registration authority, to grant the society’s application to register as common land 1.8 hectares on the south side of Wildhill Road, Hatfield, Hertfordshire. The land comprises a mixture of grass, shrub, and trees. It is just under six kilometres south-east of Hatfield House which…
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Our new advocate in the north west
We have appointed Ken Sharp as our local correspondent for West Lancashire and parts of Merseyside. Ken will be our watchdog here, keeping a close eye on paths, commons, greens, and open spaces. He will cover West Lancashire District, Knowsley, Liverpool City, St Helen’s Borough, and Sefton Metropolitan Borough. Following a 38-year career in information…
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A plum common
A fascinating common in Pembrokeshire is now receiving the care and attention it deserves. Plumstone Rock is the most prominent feature of the 145-hectare Plumstone Mountain common including the adjoining Dudwell Mountain, 1.5 kilometres south of Hayscastle Cross in Pembrokeshire. The outcrop commands fine views, from the Preseli Mountains to the Bristol Channel. The land…
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