Open Spaces Society fights development on Ellonby Common
The Open Spaces Society, Britain’s leading pressure-group for common land, has objected to a planning appeal which would damage Ellonby Common, in the parish of Skelton five miles north-west of Penrith in Cumbria. The application for a dwelling next to the common with a driveway across it was rejected by Eden District Council last September,…
Read MoreThreat to Kendal’s village green
We have objected to the planning application from Kendal Golf Club for a golf driving-range on Kendal’s extensive village green in Cumbria. The green is on the side of Kendal Fell which lies above the town to the north-west. For more than two centuries the land has been enjoyed by the public for informal recreation.…
Read MoreFriends of the Lake District – Our Green Heritage
Friends of the Lake District are offering a new opportunity for communities to take part and receive dedicated help for their green space. They are inviting communities to participate in a 3 year funded project focusing on local heritage green space. This is a follow on to the highly successful Our Green Space project. What…
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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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Yeadon Banks Green still undecided following appeal court ruling
The application to register five acres of treasured open space known as Yeadon Banks, on the outskirts of Leeds, as a town green is still not decided following a Court of Appeal judgment on Monday (20 December). Read the judgment here Mr Doug Jones, of Keep Yeadon Banks Green (KEYBAG) applied in 2004 to register…
Read MoreOur response to Peak Park’s decision on Losehill Hall
We have responded to the Peak District National Park’s decision to select the Youth Hostels Association as the preferred bidder for Losehill Hall in the Hope Valley in the heart of the national park. Says Kate Ashbrook, our general secretary (who addressed the park authority members at their meeting on Friday 17 December): ‘We are…
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Final countdown to decision on top national-park learning centre
We plan to speak at the Peak District National Park Authority’s meeting on Friday 17 December, where members will make a decision on the future of the highly-admired Losehill Hall in the Hope Valley, Derbyshire. Losehill Hall has belonged to the Peak Park for 40 years. Now, officers propose to sell or lease it, to…
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Pennine walkers hit out at path cuts
Our general secretary Kate Ashbrook has slated government plans to cut local-council spending on public rights of way. Kate, who is also patron of the Walkers Are Welcome Town Network and a trustee of the Ramblers, was launching the South Pennines Walk & Ride Festival in the Walkers Are Welcome town of Ilkley, West Yorkshire,…
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Closure of Waterfoot path
An inspector acting for the environment secretary has ruled that Rawtenstall public footpath number 237 should be closed, to enable Lancashire County Council to build a new Waterfoot Primary School. There were nine objections, from the Open Spaces Society, Rossendale Ramblers and others, to Lancashire County Council’s plan to stop up the path, and a…
Read MoreLancashire County Council should respect footpath at Waterfoot
Lancashire County Council plans to start building the new Waterfoot Primary School at Rawtenstall before the route of the public footpath which crosses the site has been determined. The council applied to move Rawtenstall footpath 237 in order to enable it to build the new school. However, there were many objections, from ourselves and Rossendale…
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