New Forest solar farm rejected
The New Forest National Park Authority’s planning committee has unanimously rejected plans for an ugly solar ‘farm’ in the national park. The application was from MTS Exbury Solar Ltd for a solar farm on nine hectares of land east of Lepe Farm, Exbury. The society sent an objection to the national park planning authority urging…
Decisions for Haven Green common, Ealing
Our member, the Friends of Haven Green (FoHG), is pleased to report two decisions from the Planning Inspectorate concerning Haven Green, Ealing. The first stems from last September’s public inquiry into Ealing Council’s planned changes to the green in preparation for Crossrail. These would have widened the pavements, and created a counter-flow cycle lane on the east…
The fight to stop green-belt solar farm
We are backing our member, the Mawdesley and Heskin Solar Farm Protest Group, in its fight against a solar farm in the Lancashire countryside. We are objecting to plans from M S Power Projects Ltd (MSP) for a solar farm on green belt land at Heskin, about a mile south of the town of Eccleston.…
Thames Path to be consigned to a rat run in Maidenhead
We are angry that the Thames Path National Trail is to follow Maidenhead’s Ray Mead Road rat run. On Wednesday 11 February Windsor and Maidenhead Borough’s planning committee approved the creation of a short footpath along Ray Mead Road instead of a riverside route for the Thames Path National Trail. The council had applied to…
Lake District fencing plan conflicts with special Act of Parliament
We believe that plans by United Utilities for 10 kilometres of fencing above Thirlmere in the heart of the Lake District National Park conflict with a special law for the area. Because the land is common, UU has applied for consent to the Planning Inspectorate for works on common land. The society believes that the…
Retrospective application for works on Cornish common
We have objected to a retrospective application for works on Pendarves Woods Common, a mile south-west of Camborne in Cornwall. The application from Mr Robert Weedon is for part of a sand-school, parking areas and track, fuel pumps and tank, and post-and-rail fencing. The works were constructed over a period since 2008. Before anyone can…
We fight land swap for Beverley’s ancient common
We have objected to plans by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council to swap land on Beverley Westwood Common for a site at Fishwick Mill, to the eastern border of the common. Because commons are special, the law (section 16 of the Commons Act 2006) requires that suitable exchange land is provided when a common…
Welsh Committee calls for better protection for village greens in Planning Bill
We are delighted that a National Assembly for Wales Committee is calling for better protection of village greens. The report of the Environment and Sustainability Committee, which is scrutinising the Planning (Wales) Bill, states that ‘the provisions of the Bill in relation to town and village greens, as currently drafted, have caused us some concern’.…
Plaque in memory of Pat Wilson
Meopham and District Footpaths Group in Kent have erected a plaque in memory of their president and our vice-president Pat Wilson. The plaque is at Scratch Arse Corner (GR TQ 653 645), near Chandler’s Hill, site of a path battle which led to the origin of the Meopham group. An early fight, championed by Pat,…
Common landscapes
Today a taskgroup of 27 organisations launches its report Landscapes for Everyone (see below) in parliament, calling on politicians to champion our unique British landscapes. We shall be there. Our special message is that we must look after the 2,212 square miles of common land in England and Wales. Do this and we secure a…