Inspector confirms three new Public Rights of Way in Beadnell, Northumberland.
Peter Gomersall, a member of the society in Northumberland, has told us of a local success. “During the past five years, five well-used footpaths in the small coastal village of Beadnell have been blocked and fenced off. This has been done by developers attempting to build luxury holiday homes. After a vigorous campaign by local…
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Planning defeat at Crook
We are delighted that a proposed planning application affecting rights of way at Crook in County Durham has been defeated. The proposal involved the change of use of a piece of land to private gardens and the consequent extinguishment under section 247 of the Highways Act of two sections of public right of way affected…
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Yeadon Banks green space is safe for ever
We are delighted that the Supreme Court has refused to allow Leeds Group plc to appeal against the Court of Appeal’s ruling that Yeadon Banks, Leeds, should be registered as a green. This means that the registration of Yeadon Banks is confirmed, and the 2.2-hectare site is safe from development. We backed the applicant for…
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Kinder 80 – celebrating the trespass
The Open Spaces Society will be celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Kinder Scout Mass Trespass which took place on 24 April 1932. Our general secretary Kate Ashbrook is speaking at the launch event on Tuesday 24 April and the society has contributed to the programme. Says Kate: ‘There is nothing like the right to…
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Milestone court-ruling: cattle-grids on public paths
We are delighted with the successful outcome to Alan Kind’s appeal to the High Court, to clarify whether or not a council can lawfully authorise a cattle-grid across the full width of a footpath or bridleway. This decision will provide additional protection for our public paths and better safety for the people using them. Capheaton…
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Cattle-grid blocks bridleway
On 14 March 2012, in a useful judgment for path defenders, two high court judges ruled that a cattle-grid cannot be authorised to block the whole width of a footpath or bridleway—Kind v Northumberland County Council [2012] EWHC 603 (Admin). Capheaton bridleway 11, 18 miles north-west of Newcastle upon Tyne, was recorded as a public…
Read MoreJuniper disease affects public access in Upper Teesdale
We are sorry to learn of the outbreak of a deadly disease to junipers, caused by a pathogen which has recently been discovered in the junipers of Upper Teesdale. Some of the area is open access land, which has been temporarily closed. Our local correspondent for County Durham, Jo Bird, tell us that this is…
Read MoreFighting a path move on Northumberland coast
We have objected to the proposed diversion of Beadnell footpath 31, which leads from Harbour Road, Beadnell, on the Northumberland coast, to Haven Beach. The plan has been published by Northumberland County Council, the highway authority, and objections must be made by 15 March. The proposal is to move the path onto a route to…
Read MoreChadderton Field, Newcastle, wins village green protection
We have congratulated the Friends of Chadderton Field on the successful registration of a new village green. The green is in the Chapel House area in the City of Newcastle. Newcastle City Council, the registration authority, agreed on 1 February to register the land, which consists of a grassed area. The application was made on…
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Losehill Hall sold off: we have reservations
We have mixed feelings about the announcement from the Peak District National Park Authority that Losehill Hall, the world-famous national park learning centre, is to be sold to the Youth Hostels Association (YHA). The society favoured the bid from the Field Studies Council, and when the park opted for the YHA’s tender, had hoped that…
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