Threat to Harrogate’s ancient Stray
Harrogate Borough Council in North Yorkshire plans to extend and expand the use of Harrogate Stray for commercial activities. The Stray, 80 hectares of open grassland embracing the town, has existed for centuries. Residents and visitors enjoy this beautiful green space for quiet recreation. The council is consulting the public on its proposals to weaken…
Read MoreDismay at consent to deregister part of Barmby Moor village green
The Planning Inspectorate has approved an application from Barmby Moor Parish Council to deregister part of the village green, near Pocklington in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The parish council wants to allow a private vehicular-access across the green to enable residential development to take place to the north. As the leading organisation concerned with…
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Rejection of fencing on Westerdale Common
We are delighted that the environment secretary has rejected plans for more than half a mile of fencing on Westerdale Common in the North York Moors National Park. Last year the Graziers of High Blakey Moor applied to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, via the Planning Inspectorate, for consent to…
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A big welcome to West Yorkshire
On Saturday 25 June a new long-distance path, the Welcome Way, will be opened in Otley, West Yorkshire. The 28-mile circular walk is unique because it was created through the collaborative effort of three West Yorkshire Walkers Are Welcome towns: Otley, Burley-in-Wharfedale and Baildon, linking all three. There is an additional nine-mile loop taking in…
Read MoreWe fight fencing on national park common
We have objected to an application to erect more than half a mile of fencing on Westerdale Common in the North York Moors National Park. The Graziers of High Blakey Moor have applied to the Planning Inspectorate for consent for the fence on common land to prevent sheep straying. The fence is on open country…
Read MoreDismay at decision for Beverley Westwood Common
We are dismayed that the environment secretary has approved a land swap to allow a cycle track and footway to be driven across the historic Beverley Westwood Common in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The society was among the objectors at a public hearing held on 13 October. East Riding of Yorkshire Council proposed to…
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Lakes and Dales park extensions will protect precious landscapes
We are overjoyed that the government has today announced that it will extend the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, to include land which should never have been excluded, much of it common land. The environment secretary Liz Truss has confirmed the designations made by Natural England in 2012, following a public inquiry in…
Read MoreWe defeat Barmby Moor village green swap
The Planning Inspectorate has rejected an application from Barmby Moor Parish Council to swap part of the village green, near Pocklington in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The parish council wanted to allow a private vehicular-access across the green. We were the sole objector. We considered that the swap was unfair, since the proposed exchange…
Read MoreNorth York Moors National Park authority approves York Potash application
We are dismayed that the North York Moors National Park Authority has approved the York Potash application. The decision was made at a special planning meeting on 30 June, and was extremely close: eight votes to seven. We backed the Campaign for National Parks (CNP) in fighting the project. Ruth Bradshaw, CNP’s policy and campaigns…
Read MoreWind turbines rejected on Rooley Moor, Rochdale
Rochdale Borough Council has refused planning permission to Coronation Power Ltd for 12 wind turbines and other infrastructure on Rooley Moor. The council rejected the application on a number of grounds. It considered that the development would be inappropriate in the green belt and it would have a detrimental impact on the wild and tranquil…
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