Clyne Common, Swansea, saved from housing development
The attempt by the Duke of Beaufort’s Somerset Trust to take part of Clyne Common at West Cross for housing development has finally been refused. The deputy minister, Huw Irranca-Davis, has rejected the trust’s application to deregister 2.8 hectares on the eastern side of the common (the ‘release land’) and replace it with 3.4 hectares…
Read More
We celebrate our Herefordshire volunteer’s law degree
Our local correspondent for south Herefordshire, Dave Howerski, has obtained a law degree from the Open University. Dave was inspired to study for this through his voluntary work for the society, campaigning for public paths, threatening legal action, and persuading Herefordshire Council to carry out its statutory duty to protect and maintain them. Dave, who…
Read More
Our members congregate in Kenilworth
On 13 September we held a day in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, for members to celebrate our 160th anniversary, and to visit our land, Parliament Piece. The six-hectare site was given to the society in 1987 by Miss Helen Martin of The Spring. In 1999 we gave it to Warwick District Council on a 99-year lease, and…
Read More
New report gives a vital boost to access in England
We have welcomed the new report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Outdoor Recreation and Access to Nature. The report, which was launched in parliament on 15 September, contains a comprehensive set of recommendations which will ensure that England’s outdoors becomes more accessible to more people. The report is here. The Department for Environment,…
Read More
Osborne frustrates coastal path
Proposals for the route of the England Coast Path on the Isle of Wight look set to avoid some of the best bits of coast. We are dismayed that Natural England’s proposed route for the England Coast Path (ECP) on the Isle of Wight veers inland when it reaches the Osborne and Barton estates between…
Read More
Our new watchdog for paths and green spaces in Essex
We have appointed Katherine Evans as our local correspondent to watch over the public paths, commons, greens, and other open spaces in Essex. Katherine lives in Braintree District in north-east Essex. She says: ‘I volunteered to be the Open Spaces Society’s local correspondent for Essex because I care about keeping our public rights of way…
Read More
Land restored to Trewellard Common, Cornwall
We are pleased that unenclosed land adjacent to Trewellard Common has been recognised as common land. Planning Inspector Paul Freer has granted the society’s application to register as common about 0.7 hectares of land situated south-east of the village of Trewellard. The land comprises brambles and bracken. It is about seven miles north-west of Penzance. …
Read More
Government challenged to save missing commons
On the sixtieth anniversary of the Commons Registration Act 1965, we have challenged ministers to re-open the closed registers in England, and save thousands of square miles of green land for the people to enjoy. In a letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Rt Hon Steve Reed MP,…
Read More
We call for Wilmot Gardens, Plymouth, to be made a town green
We are delighted that Plymouth City Councillors have rejected the proposed development of Wilmot Gardens, Crownhill, and now call on the council to register it as a town green. After a long debate at the planning committee meeting on 24 July, members voted by 10 to 2 to reject the application for five houses,…
Read More
More Dartmoor land restored as common
Another piece of the Dartmoor National Park in Devon has been registered as common land. Planning Inspector Nigel Farthing has granted the society’s application to register as common about 82.25 hectares of part of Ditsworthy Warren. The land, which is about 2.5 kilometres east of Sheepstor, is grazed and uncultivated. In 1968, a tract of…
Read More