Latest News

We slate Network Rail’s blocked paths in Ely

September 26, 2016

We have complained to Cambridgeshire County Council about the unlawful closure of public paths by Network Rail. Our local correspondent, Alysoun Hodges, was dismayed to discover that Network Rail has closed footpaths in Ely where they cross the railway line. While Network Rail is carrying out a consultation on the closure of path crossings over…

Read More

New Sheffield environmental charity launched

July 15, 2016

‘Sheffield and the Peak District National Park are the crucible of the access crusade.  The new Sheffield Environmental Movement is well placed to enable everyone to enjoy the park’s special qualities today’. So said Kate Ashbrook, our general secretary, when she launched the new charity, the Sheffield Environmental Movement, led by Maxwell Ayamba, at Sheffield…

Read More

Quarry threat to Lincolnshire footpath

July 4, 2016

We have objected to plans by Breedon Aggregates to extend South Witham quarry in south Lincolnshire and destroy the route of a much-loved public footpath. The path runs between the villages of South Witham and Thistleton and is on the edge of the proposed quarry extension.  The developers want to move the path around three…

Read More

Charnwood Forest Regional Park

December 8, 2015

Chris Peat, our representative on Charnwood Forest Regional Park Steering Group, has sent us this report: The Open Spaces Society strongly supports the development of the Charnwood Forest Regional Park because it will protect and enhance important open spaces within easy reach of the urban areas of Leicester and Loughborough at the eastern end of…

Read More

150th anniversary of Nottingham Forest recreation ground’s inclosure oak

October 19, 2015

On Sunday, 18 October, we joined Nottingham citizens in celebrating 150 years of the Nottingham Forest recreation ground. In the year of the Open Spaces Society’s foundation, 1865, the first oak-tree, the Inclosure Oak, was planted close to the Mansfield Road entrance to the Forest recreation ground.  This was to celebrate the grant of 122 acres of…

Read More

We slate Derbyshire’s plan to ‘shoot itself in the foot’

August 19, 2015

We have slated Derbyshire County Council’s plans to cut its budget for public rights of way and reduce the staff, significantly lengthening the time it takes to deal with path problems.  We say the council is shooting itself in the foot. We have responded to the council’s questionnaire in which the council proposes severely to…

Read More

We celebrate the partial opening of Panshanger Park

April 2, 2015

Our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, spoke at a walk to celebrate the first anniversary of the public opening of one-third of historic Panshanger Park. Read about the day and listen to Kate’s speech here. 26 March 2015 – We call for swift opening of long overdue Panshanger Park We are joining our member, the Friends…

Read More

Panshanger Park event on 31 March

February 25, 2015

On 31 March 2014, the opening day of Panshanger Country Park East in Hertfordshire, over one hundred Friends of Panshanger Park and local walkers set off on the friends’ People’s Walk, from Hertingfordbury into the long overdue country park.  Since then the eastern end of the park has been much welcomed and enjoyed by thousands of people.  However…

Read More

Destructive mineral plan for Trent Valley

November 18, 2014

We have objected strongly to plans for mineral extraction in the Shelford Valley on the Trent in Nottinghamshire.  The society is backing Save Shelford Valley in its opposition to this development. The plan is to take minerals from land embraced by a meander of the River Trent.  This would be extremely destructive of open countryside,…

Read More

Remove unlawful fence on Nottinghamshire common

June 6, 2014

We hope that Nottinghamshire County Council will take enforcement action against an unlawful fence on Hanging Hill Lane Common, Normanton-on-Trent. The common is a long strip, consisting of Hanging Hill Lane and a broad verge on either side. The verge is used by walkers and for access to adjoining fields, and the fence encloses part…

Read More