Yateley Common fencing-plan withdrawn
Hampshire County Council and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust have withdrawn their controversial plan to erect fencing on Yateley Common. They had applied to the Planning Inspectorate for consent, under section 38 of the Commons Act 2006, to erect 24 kilometres of fencing on the common to enable it to be grazed.…
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We fight fence on limestone beauty-spot
We are fighting 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. Farleton Knott, close to the M6 three miles east of Milnthorpe, is a limestone hill of outstanding natural beauty and interest for its geology and flora and…
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Welsh village greens rescued from damaging law-change
We are delighted to have helped stop the Planning (Wales) Act from making devastating changes to village-green law. The Planning (Wales) Act, which was finalised yesterday (19 May), was amended during its passage through the Welsh Assembly, thanks to the society’s campaign. Assembly Members reversed several draconian measures which would have severely restricted the public’s…
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We object to path change in Wenvoe, South Wales
We have objected to a plan to move a beautiful footpath at Wenvoe, in the Vale of Glamorgan. The Vale of Glamorgan Council has consulted interested parties on a plan to move Wenvoe footpath 21 in connection with a development to the west of Port Road. The council wants to shift the path next to…
Read MoreHenley RBL learns about Open Spaces Society
‘The national Open Spaces Society has plenty to keep it busy here in Henley-on-Thames,’ said the society’s case officer, Nicola Hodgson, speaking at a lunch organised by the Henley & Peppard Branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL). Founded in 1865, the society celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. Nicola told the RBL how the…
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Lake District park authority rejects second attempt to develop White Moss common
We are delighted that the Lake District National Park Authority has once again rejected plans for the development of White Moss, on the A591 between Rydal Water and Grasmere in Cumbria. Jim Lowther, brother of the eighth Earl of Lonsdale who is custodian of the family’s estate, had applied to develop common land at White…
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Land at Breaky Bottom open to the public after OSS action
Action by the society’s Local Correspondent, Chris Smith, has resulted in more land at Breaky Bottom Vineyard, Sussex being opened to the public. The society objected to an order which would have continued the restriction. As a result part of the land has been made available for public access. The public access area is shown…
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We object to ugly tower above Shepherd’s Bush Common
We have objected to an application from Dorsett Hospitality International to demolish the existing former Walkabout building and replace it with a 16-storey tower, next to Shepherd’s Bush Common in west London. We consider that this ugly tower would dominate the green space of Shepherd’s Bush. It would have an overpowering and unpleasant influence on…
Read MoreLocal Green Space Designation
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published by the Department for Communities and Local Government in March 2012 provides communities with a means of protecting local green areas as a local green space. Read more here. This will enable communities, in particular circumstances, to protect areas of land that are of value to them, through…
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We fight access track across historic common
We have objected to plans for an access track across common land at Newbiggin, near Penrith in Cumbria. The common is known as ‘public watering place’ and has a number of springs with a series of ancient stone troughs and culverts. The common was featured in the Friends of the Lake District’s Our Green Space…
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