Latest News

Vocal for local

June 17, 2020

Our general secretary Kate Ashbrook considers life for the Open Spaces Society during lockdown. As lockdown began, I foolishly thought we would have time to catch up with all those long-deferred jobs.  I was wrong: we have been busier than ever. Developers are not deterred by a pandemic: open spaces remain at risk, perhaps more…

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Archive progress

June 16, 2020

The Special Collections team at the University of Reading and the Museum of English Rural Life (the MERL) has been working with the society to care for, and to open, our archive to the public and to potential researchers. The completed cataloguing work, and the collected oral histories of key staff members, will reveal our…

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People on foot lose out to cars in M42 road scheme

June 10, 2020

We are deeply disappointed that the Secretary of State for Transport, Mr Grant Shapps, has ignored the needs of pedestrians and approved a major scheme for the improvement of Junction 6 of the M42 in the West Midlands. The society is concerned that the development will sever principal routes running east-west and to Birmingham International…

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The old ways of Melbourne second edition cover

Local correspondent authors new edition of Melbourne path history title

May 19, 2020

Our local correspondent for south Derbysire and north west Leicestershire since 2010, Barry Thomas, has updated his book ‘The old ways of Melbourne – the history of public rights of way in a Derbyshire village’. Barry describes the nature of public rights of way and the history of the path network in the parish of…

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We deplore threat to ancient road in South Downs National Park

May 15, 2020

We have objected to a planning application for a campsite and buildings at Coldwaltham, West Sussex, in the South Downs National Park.  The application was made by Mr Hugh Sandie of Pegs and Pitches Camping.   Our particular concern is the threat to the adjoining Colebrook Lane.  We have criticised West Sussex County Council for…

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Kent parish council dedicates a green

May 5, 2020

We have commended our member East Malling and Larkfield Parish Council in Kent for dedicating land as a village green.  Kent County Council approved the registration in February.   The one-acre land is known as Whimbrel Village Green and is an area of open space within a housing estate (the streets of which are named…

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How do we protect open spaces closer to home?

April 28, 2020

The think tank, ‘Centre for Cities’, which focuses on improving the economies of the UK’s largest cities and towns, published an article at the start of our lock down period, ‘How easy is it for people to stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic?‘  It concluded that the provision of public open space, such as…

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We celebrate common land registration in Cornwall

April 28, 2020

We are celebrating Cornwall Council’s addition of 4.84 hectares of Carrine and Goodern Commons to the register of common land, thus securing the public’s right to walk here and protecting the land from development. The land is on the road from Penwethers to Pound Lane, three kilometres south-west of Truro. Common is land, originally, with…

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We oppose Clapham Common fencing plan

April 26, 2020

We have objected to an application from Lambeth Borough Council for fencing on Clapham Common. The council wants to erect temporary steel fencing around the ‘events site’ on the common for three weeks, from 15 August to 5 September, with the intention of holding festivals there.  Because the land is common, it must have the…

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Blackbushe aerodrome – court halts removal of land from Yateley Common

April 23, 2020

We are delighted that the High Court has quashed an inspector’s decision to remove land at Blackbushe aerodrome, Hampshire, from the register of common land. Mr Justice Holgate gave judgment1 today  following a judicial review brought by Hampshire County Council, the commons registration authority, against the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural…

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