Our new watchdog in west Dorset
We have appointed Nicholas Whitsun-Jones as our local correspondent for the former West Dorset District. Nicholas was in the legal profession for 45 years, specialising in planning and environmental law, including rights of way. Since retirement he has done voluntary work for the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) in Somerset and Devon, and now…
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Wild camping on Dartmoor—the need to appeal
Update: An agreement is being reached between Dartmoor National Park Authority and the landowners to enable people to keep wild camping in Dartmoor National Park without landowners’ permission. While the agreement is welcome and we are pleased the landowners have stepped up, it goes nowhere far enough to meet wild campers’ needs. It is essential…
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New village green at Portishead, North Somerset
We are delighted that a new village green has been registered at Portishead’s former golf course in North Somerset, thereby securing it for ever. The land has been enjoyed for informal recreation for decades. It was purchased from Bristol City Council by the then Woodspring District Council, with a covenant which said that it was…
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Threat to our age-old freedom on Dartmoor
A high court case, which opens today, could determine the future enjoyment of wild camping in the Dartmoor National Park. Alexander Darwall, the owner of Stall Moor common on Dartmoor, claims that the right of access under the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 does not include the right to wild camp. People have enjoyed this activity…
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Lizard Downs, Cornwall, registered as common land
The extensive Lizard Downs in west Cornwall has been registered as common land, thanks to our efforts. The land, which is 116 hectares of splendid open moorland, failed to be finally registered as common during the three-year period allowed by the Commons Registration Act 1965. Part 1 of the Commons Act 2006 re-opened the door…
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An open letter to Cornwall Councillors from Open Spaces Society member, Hugh Gladden
Open Spaces Society member, Hugh Gladden, recently wrote to the Cornish Times, expressing his disappointment at the council’s failure in its duty to prevent paths being obstructed. You can read his letter below. Hundreds of landowners commit criminal offences, but Cornwall Council and its councillors look the other way. Under the Highways Act (1980) local…
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Our new activist in Gloucestershire
We have appointed Chas Townley as our local correspondent for Stroud District in Gloucestershire. Chas lives in Stroud and is a retired social-housing manager and former Stroud District and Town councillor. He has been working on the registration of unrecorded rights of ways in Stroud and surrounding parishes. As a result, 27 applications have been…
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Land registered as common at Teneriffe in Cornwall
We celebrate the decision by the Planning Inspectorate to grant our application to register two small pieces of land (0.146 hectare) situated two miles south of Mullion in Cornwall. The land was provisionally registered as common land under the Commons Registration Act 1965, but late in the day the applicant withdrew the application and the…
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Reopening of blocked footpath in Cornwall follows threat of legal action
Following a threat of legal action, a landowner has removed crops which were obstructing the route of a public footpath at St Ervan, three miles south-west of Padstow in Cornwall. The landowner is a St Ervan parish councillor. Cornwall Council, the highway authority, had failed in its legal duty to ensure the path remained unobstructed,…
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