Appeal court upholds village green registrations in Lancashire and Surrey
We are delighted that the Court of Appeal has upheld the registration of village greens at Moorside Fields in Lancaster and Leach Grove Wood at Leatherhead in Surrey.(1) The two cases were heard together and the court has dismissed an appeal from Lancashire County Council which, as the education authority, owns the 13-hectare Moorside Fields.…
We remain vigilant for ancient Hertfordshire route
We are concerned that an ancient public route at Broxbourne in Hertfordshire remains under threat from development plans by Broxbourne School. The intention is to demolish the old school and build a new academy, with 150 houses on the old school site. Broxbourne School has recently submitted amended plans, and the society notes that while…
We fight planning application on Royston Common
We have objected to the renewal of a planning application affecting common land in Hertfordshire. The Conservators of Therfield Heath and Greens, at Royston in Hertfordshire, have applied for the renewal of outline planning permission for eight dwellings on land at Sun Hill. This is registered common land and the conservators have already applied to…
We fight loss of views from Oxfordshire footpath
We have objected to a massive development, proposed by Gladman Developments Ltd, on open land north of Caversham. South Oxfordshire District Council refused planning consent for 245 residential dwellings and other works on land off Peppard Road, at Emmer Green. Gladman has appealed and the appeal is to be heard in May. We have joined…
Freshwater, Isle of Wight, sets fine example in protecting green space
We have congratulated Freshwater Parish Council for designating land as Local Green Space (LGS) in its neighbourhood plan. Freshwater, on the western side of the Isle of Wight, is a largely rural parish. The parish council has identified and designated 15 LGSs* which meet the government’s criteria. The council created a checklist against which to…
Progress on Portsmouth harbour quayside road
Portsmouth campaigners, with our support, have made a big stride forward in getting a path around Camber Dock, at the mouth of the harbour, recognised as a public right of way. In 2014 Kenneth Bailey and Anna Koor of the Camber Action Group applied to Portsmouth City Council to add the route of approximately 575…
A celebration at Wittersham, Kent
Twenty-five years ago our member Mavis King succeeded in getting Poplar Farm field and pond, at Wittersham in Kent, registered as a village green, VG235. The 1.5-acre site was threatened with developers and, with our help, Mavis saved it. On 16 November 2017 Mavis unveiled a plaque, which was fixed to a three-ton boulder of…
Public inquiry into common-land swap at Therfield Heath, Royston
A public inquiry is being held on Tuesday (30 January) into the exchange of common land proposed by the Conservators of Therfield Heath and Greens in Hertfordshire. We have submitted an objection. The conservators wish to swap 1.65 acres of common land off Sun Hill at Royston in Hertfordshire for the same area of woodland…
We challenge British Car Auctions’ use of Yateley Common, Hampshire
British Car Auctions (BCA), which occupies part of the former Blackbushe Airport on Yateley Common in Hampshire, has withdrawn its application to the environment secretary for consent for works on the common. The application was made under section 38 of the Commons Act 2006. We had objected to the application. We were concerned that the…
Massive Chiltern development rejected
We are delighted that Wycombe District Council, Bucks, has rejected an application from West Waddy ADP to build up to 140 dwellings at Little Studdridge Farm, south of Stokenchurch in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The society joined many local objectors, including Stokenchurch and Ibstone Parish Councils and the Chiltern Society, in…