Village Greens: Landowner statements: the threat to village greens
Landowner statements and the threat to town and village greens In this page, we’ll explore landowner statements in England and Wales. You’ll find information about challenging threats to your local open space, and staying one step ahead of plans to restrict access. (Landowners can also deposit statements and lodge declarations intended to prevent the acquisition…
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Village Greens: Recent registrations
Town or village green registrations The Open Spaces Society has been defending open spaces in England and Wales since 1865. A history of successful town or village green registrations 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 Chadderton Field, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, registered 2011 I’m delighted to report that…
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Village Greens: Protecting village greens
Law guiding the protection of village greens Law guiding the protection of Village Greens Town and village greens (TVGs) are protected by ancient legislation. Under section 29 of the Commons Act 1876, together with section 12 of the Inclosure Act 1857, a person who encroaches on, or encloses, a town or village green or a…
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Village Greens: Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have a question about town and village greens? Here are answers to FAQ about: Registration Protection Encroachment Tree planting Enjoyment Maps as part of an application Registration How can I find out if my village green is registered? The register of town and village greens is held by your registration authority. In England,…
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Village Greens: Preparing your village green application
How to prepare your town or village green application for registration Want to register land as a town or village green? First check with your registration authority (county or unitary council) to see whether it is already registered. Pioneer areas If you live in Blackburn with Darwen, Cornwall, Devon, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Kent Lancashire, Cumbria or…
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Legacies
Let your love for open spaces live on with a gift in your will Keep us fighting to protect open spaces long into the future Bennett bequest Bennett bequest: organising our archives Having existed for more than 150 years the society has a massive archive. Some is stored in the House of Lords and some…
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We help to save valuable footpath at Wimbish, Essex
We have helped to save the attractive 463-metre footpath, south of Wimbish Green, six kilometres south-east of Saffron Walden, in Uttlesford District, Essex. The path, known as Wimbish footpath 70, runs through the grounds of three residential properties. The owner of one of them, Midfield, applied to close the route under section 118 of the Highways Act…
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Our new activist in Wiltshire
We have appointed Becky Dymond as our local correspondent in north-west Wiltshire. Becky takes on four parishes (Biddestone, Box, Colerne, and North Wraxall) where she will respond to proposals to alter the routes of public rights of way, assist in claiming paths for the definitive map, and defend commons, greens, and other open spaces for people to enjoy. Becky is a horse-rider and is out riding around the countryside…
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Open Spaces Society celebrates new town green in Swaffham, Norfolk
We’re delighted to have won a new town green in Swaffham, Norfolk. The land is to the east of the town between Norwich Road and North Pickenham Road. The society negotiated the registration of the green within BDW Trading Ltd’s development in exchange for withdrawing its objection to the diversion of a footpath across the site. The society’s…
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Popular path at Ashby de la Zouch reopened
A long-closed footpath in Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, has today been reopened, thanks to the efforts of campaigners, including the Ashby Footpaths Group and North West Leicestershire MP Amanda Hack. Footpath O89, part of an ancient route which runs from the new Money Hill car-park to the top of North Street, has been closed…
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