We fear loss of public paths in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire County Council has consulted on its plan to categorise the county’s public paths so that some will receive little or no attention. It proposes to put paths into categories to determine the level of their maintenance, with a complicated system of assigning the priority to be given to each route. We are deeply…
Read MoreFuture Generations Commissioner for Wales consults on strategic plan
The office of the first Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, Sophie Howe, has launched a new website and a broad conversation/consultation on their Draft Strategic Plan and policy priorities. They are currently running a survey which will collate broad patterns of priorities raised by organisations, individuals and companies. It is anticipated that this survey will…
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Development next to Charlton Common, South Gloucestershire
Redrow Homes plan a major development next to Charlton Common in South Gloucestershire. They want to build 80 dwellings on the western side of the common. We have objected to the planning application because the development involves building an access track across the common. We objected to a similar proposal in 2012 and, in the…
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We fight electricity line across Bridgend common
Western Power Distribution intends to site an overhead electricity line, with 16 poles, on a South Wales common. The society has objected. The proposed electricity line would run for more than a mile across Mynydd Llangeinwyr common, the upland between Cwm Garw and Cwm Ogwr Fawr about six miles north of Bridgend. Because the line…
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Unfair land-swap at Therfield Heath Common, Royston
We have objected to a proposed land swap by the Conservators of Therfield Heath and Greens. The conservators wish to exchange 1.65 acres of common land off Sun Hill at Royston in Hertfordshire for the same area of woodland over a mile away. The proposed exchange is to enable the conservators to build eight dwellings…
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Eastbourne downs will not be sold
We are delighted that Eastbourne Borough Council has done a U-turn and decided not to sell 3,000 acres of its downland. The decision follows a public poll which showed that 75 per cent of respondents voted against the sale of downland, even though this may mean a cut in other services. We called on the…
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Public inquiry into diversion of Harrow School footpaths finishes
The public inquiry, which opened in January, into the diversion of two footpaths across Harrow School grounds, ended this week. It lasted for nearly six days instead of the scheduled three. The inquiry was prolonged partly because of the number of objectors to the scheme. These included the Open Spaces Society, Ramblers, Harrow Hill Trust…
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We call for speed limit on lethal road across common
We have joined the call for a 30-mph speed limit on the A44 road where it crosses Bringsty Common in Herefordshire. The present speed limit is 50 mph. The current speed-limit allows vehicles to travel far too fast along this dangerous, winding road, which risks the lives of those using the tracks which lead onto…
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Council rejects development on public copse at Watton, Driffield
East Riding of Yorkshire’s planning committee has today unanimously rejected a planning application for retrospective consent to use Watton Copse for an oil-storage tank and domestic purposes including car-parking. The land adjoins Vicarage Close in Watton, about five miles south of Driffield in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The council’s director of planning and economic regeneration,…
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Harrogate Borough Council backs down on Stray plans
We warmly welcome Harrogate Borough Council’s decision to drop its plans to extend and expand the use of Harrogate Stray for commercial activities. The Stray is a historic green space at the heart of the town. The council was proposing to extend beyond 35 days the number of days on which events could be…
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