Competing demands on Chiltern commons
We are participating in the Chilterns Commons Day at Chorleywood Common, Hertfordshire, organised by the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Commons Project on 3 October. The day will focus on the dilemmas of managing sports and recreation on registered common land, and practical solutions. Chorleywood Common has a cricket-pitch, a nine-hole golf-course and a…
Read MorePolo plans rejected because of danger to byway
Wycombe District Council has rejected a planning application for polo practice at Low Grounds Farm, near Marlow in Bucks, because it would interfere with walkers, riders and cyclists using Harleyford Lane. The application was for change of use of land from agricultural use to polo practice and would have resulted in heavy use of Harleyford…
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We deplore government decision to exclude Isle of Wight from coastal access
We have deplored the government’s decision to exclude the Isle of Wight from the coastal-access programme. Coastal access is being implemented stage-by-stage around England under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, and last year the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs consulted on whether it should extend the coastal-access provisions to the Isle…
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Our new activist for Cambridgeshire
We have appointed Mrs Alysoun Hodges of Ely as our local correspondent for Cambridgeshire. Alysoun was until last year the definitive map development manager for Cambridgeshire County Council, having worked on public rights of way for almost 22 years. During that time she initiated and led the county council’s ‘lost highways project’ which resulted in…
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Common-land swap refused at Booker
The Planning Inspectorate has refused an application to make a swap of common land at Booker, near High Wycombe in Bucks. The application was made by Dr Ewan Bumpstead, the owner of a property on Willow Avenue the front garden of which is 330 square metres of registered common land. He wanted to exchange this…
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Runnymede’s plan to build on green belt next to common
We have objected to the policy in Runnymede Borough Council’s draft local plan core strategy which would remove land from the green belt and build 1500 houses there, next to Chobham Common in Surrey. We are concerned that the proposed development adjoins Chobham Common, an important lowland heath with a multitude of designations, which reflects…
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West Beach IS a village green!
The Court of Appeal has upheld the rights of local people to access Newhaven’s sandy West Beach in its judgement handed down today. The three judges who sat at the Royal Courts of Justice in London for three days at the end of March have upheld the appeal of East Sussex County Council and Newhaven…
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Poor’s Acre Common—a new pocket park
In January 2005, at about the time the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, giving a right to roam on registered common land and mapped open country was taking effect, we had a letter from a vigilant member, Dick Denton. Dick was concerned that there were three pieces of registered common land in Great…
Read MoreEssex woodland protected as village green
Ancient woodland north of Coombe Wood in Thundersley, Essex, has been registered as a village green by Essex County Council. The society has given support and advice to the applicant, Friends of Coombe Wood, over many years. The Friends succeeded in registering part of Coombe Wood in 2007, but the northern part was excluded. The…
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Two new greens are registered in Kent for local people to enjoy
Two new village greens have been registered in Kent: Four Acres Green in East Malling and Willow Road Green in Larkfield. Now they are protected for ever more. Four Acres Green was set aside as a play area when the council estate was built in the 1960s. It has been used for informal recreation ever…
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