Our Common Land

An Open Spaces Society publication

The seventh edition of Our Common Land by Paul Clayden has been revised and updated to include the many changes in the law which have taken place since the previous edition in 2006.

These include the bringing into force of part 1 of the Commons Act 2006, and the divergence of the law in England and Wales. This book takes account of the most recent court cases, and policy guidance on common land issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Welsh government.

There is also a substantial section dealing with town and village greens, which complements the society’s manual, Getting Greens Registered.

The book puts the law into practice. It is of value to local authorities, landowners, common right-holders, and the public.

Contents

  1. An introduction to common land and rights of common
  2. Commons registration
  3. Common land—the rights of the parties
  4. Management and control of common land
  5. Statutory protection of common land
  6. Town and village greens

Appendix 1: Commons regulated under the Commons Act 1987

Appendix 2: Bibliography

Total 164 pages

Further resources about Commons

Our latest posts about commons

Finality for commons registration: one year left

We have issued a reminder of the impending deadline in one year’s time (15 March 2027) for applications to deregister common land in England.  Under Part 1 of the Commons Act 2006, applications can be made to deregister common land throughout England, save in seven local-authority pioneer areas where the deadline for applications has already…
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Dartmoor land restored as common

We are delighted that another, extensive, piece of the Dartmoor National Park in Devon has been registered as common land.  Planning Inspector Mark Yates has granted the society’s application to register as common about 12 square kilometres known as Walkhampton Common.  The land, which is immediately south-west of Princetown, is grazed and uncultivated.  In 1968,…
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Commons deserve the highest protection

We have called for modernising legislation enabling the compulsory purchase of common land, while retaining the existing, vital, safeguard of Parliamentary scrutiny in exceptional cases. Responding to the Law Commission’s consultation on compulsory purchase[1], the society endorses the protection for common land and open space subject to a compulsory purchase order. Existing legislation, in the…
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Public access to new Woodbury Common land agreed

We are delighted to have reached agreement with Clinton Devon Estates whereby the public wins an almost immediate right to walk over newly-registered common land at Woodbury, east Devon, instead of having to wait, perhaps years, for the right to be confirmed(1). Clinton Devon Estates sought consent under section 16 of the Commons Act 2006…
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