150th anniversary of midnight raid to free Berkhamsted Common
The National Trust is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the great battle to save Berkhamsted Common, Herts. The common was freed from enclosure on the night of 6 March 1866. The National Trust is staging an exhibition and commemorative walk on its Ashridge Estate. The exhibition opens on Saturday 10 October at the visitor centre…
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We challenge Windsor & Maidenhead Council’s ‘path-improvement’ plan
We have challenged Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council for treating the new roadside footpath by Ray Mead Road north of Bridge Gardens as a permanent solution to the gap in the Thames Path National Trail beside the river bank. We were responding to the borough’s consultation on the updated Public Rights of Way Management and…
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The fight against Dalton sun factory
We have objected to a planning application for a solar farm on open countryside near Dalton- in-Furness, Cumbria. The applicant, New Energy For The World, wants to develop about 30 acres and the scheme will be highly visible from the many well-used public paths in the area. Says Kate Ashbrook, our general secretary: ‘This is…
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We fight Disneyfication of Lake District commons
We have objected to applications to develop common land at White Moss near Grasmere in the Lake District National Park. The Lake District National Park Authority has refused two planning applications from Jim Lowther, brother of the eighth Earl of Lonsdale who is custodian of the family’s estate. The Lowther Estate wants to build a…
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Fence permitted on limestone beauty-spot
We are dismayed that the Planning Inspectorate has permitted an application from the Farleton Knott Commoners’ Association for a 550-metre fence along the west side of Puddlemire Lane across Farleton Knott common, in Cumbria, for a period of ten years. This limestone hill is of outstanding natural beauty and interest for its geology and flora…
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Unlawful works on common land at Epsom
We have deplored the unlawful construction of a cycle track on registered common land at Fair Green beside West Hill, Epsom in Surrey. Contractors for Crest Nicholson, Galliford Try and Linden Homes have built a cycle track on the common, pre-empting the organisations’ application for consent for the works. We objected to the application. It…
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Reprieve for Cothill Pitt open space
We are pleased that the developer Martin Rowland has withdrawn his controversial plans to build on open space known as Cothill Pitt, near Abingdon in Oxfordshire. We backed our member Save Cothill Pitt in fighting the plans. The site is open land within the green belt, which is greatly used and enjoyed by local people…
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Lake District threatened by the largest planned electricity infrastructure project in the UK
The Open Spaces Society is one of a number of organisations* that are supporting Friends of the Lake District’s campaign against National Grid’s proposals for a 24km long powerline using 50m tall pylons in the west of the Lake District National Park. This would be a huge infrastructure project anywhere in the UK, but to…
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We condemn plan to restrict access to justice
We have condemned proposals from the Ministry of Justice to increase the cost to members of the public who apply to the magistrates’ court in civil cases. The proposal is to increase the costs by 10 per cent*. The society says that this will hit those people who are defending the public interest in public…
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United Utilities withdraws controversial Lake District fencing scheme
We are delighted that United Utilities (UU) has withdrawn its controversial application for 10 kilometres of fencing on common land above Thirlmere in the heart of the Lake District National Park. A public inquiry was due to open on 17 November. UU wants to carry out further consultation about its plans in the hope of…
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