Bristol to consult on process for new greens
Bristol City Council’s Public Rights of Way and Greens Committee, on 18 April, deferred a decision on a new process for determining applications to register land as a town or village greens and agreed instead to conduct a public consultation. We had objected to the council’s proposal to refer applications to a council subcommittee, advised…
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Dorset’s Blackdown Woods saved for the nation
We joined the celebrations on Saturday 26 March at Portesham village hall, near Dorchester in Dorset, for the handover of Blackdown Woods from the Forestry Commission to Dorset County Council. The 117 hectares of woodland surround the Hardy monument (‘Kiss me Hardy’ of Trafalgar fame) on the Dorset Ridgeway in the Dorset Area of Outstanding…
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Honiton green space saved for the community
Campaigners from Honiton in East Devon are delighted that Littletown Green has been registered as a village green. The four-acre field has been enjoyed by local people for informal recreation for decades. With support from us, Rosemary Kimbell (a member of the society), her husband Alan and neighbours Mike Allen and Andy Cox gathered evidence…
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Gloucestershire benefactor ensures public paths are well marked
The public paths around Cheltenham in Gloucestershire continue to be well marked, thanks to the far-sightedness of Cheltenham benefactor Herbert Lucas Bradbury. Mr Bradbury died in 1959 leaving £1,500 on trust for erecting and maintaining signposts on public paths within a six-mile radius of Cheltenham Post Office. The fund, known as the Bradbury Bequest,…
Read MoreWellow path safe
With the Ramblers’ Association, we have saved a path at Wellow, five miles south of Bath, from being moved to an inferior route. This follows a public inquiry held on 2 November into Bath and North East Somerset Council’s (BANES) plans to move the path. The existing route runs from Bull’s Hill south to join…
Read MoreBlocked path reopened at Charlcombe, Bath
A blocked path at Valley View Road, Charlcombe, near Bath has been reopened, following pressure from the society. Supporting a local member, we mobilised the local councillor and the Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) Council’s parks department and public rights of way department. The path, which leads to the allotments and a local football…
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Cornwall’s flagship footpath illegally blocked
We have called on Cornwall Council to act swiftly in reopening the illegally-blocked section of the South West Coast Path at Carlyon Bay, near St Austell in Cornwall. The route has been partially blocked by fencing and a portacabin, erected in connection with Commercial Estates Group Ltd’s multi-million-pound development, and our member Gloria Price has…
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Plymouth Council drops Plymstock path-change plan
Plymouth City Council has decided not to proceed with a plan to alter the route of a public footpath across open farmland north of Hooe Lane, Plymstock. The landowner had applied to move the footpath from across the field to the field edge, around two sides of a triangle, on grounds which included avoiding conflict…
Read MoreBodmin Moor saved from monstrous turbines
We are delighted that Cornwall Council’s planning committee has rejected the application for 20 wind turbines at Davidstow Wood, adjoining Bodmin Moor, at its meeting on 22 July. Says Kate Ashbrook, our general secretary: ‘We opposed the application because of the disastrous effect these monstrous turbines and their associated development would have on the beautiful,…
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New step in campaign for Yeovil Rec
Somerset County Council has agreed that there will be a public inquiry into the application to register Yeovil Rec (Mudford Recreation Ground), Yeovil, as a town green. The council has resolved to hold an inquiry at which barrister Leslie Blohm QC will act as inspector. The inquiry will be held over the summer. We have…
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