We slate commercial exploitation of London’s commons
Commons and open spaces in London and across the country are under increased threat from commercial exploitation following a public inquiry decision [1] allowing a massive music festival event. The Open Spaces Society deplores the decision by an inspector, appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to permit the…
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Norfolk campaigner wins our prestigious Eversley Award
Ian Witham, of Edingthorpe, ten miles south-east of Cromer in Norfolk, is the third-ever winner of our rarely-presented Eversley Award for Outstanding Personal Endeavour. The award is named after Lord Eversley, the distinguished founder of the society in 1865, and for many years its president and chairman. It is presented occasionally by the trustees to…
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New green at Long Ditton, Surrey
We are delighted that Elmbridge Borough Council in Surrey has voluntarily registered Stokes Field, Long Ditton, as a village green. This follows a long campaign by the society. Comprising about eight hectares of mixed woodland, open grassland and scrub intersected by numerous paths, the land is also a Local Nature Reserve. After Elmbridge Council’s consultants…
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Inspector kicks out plan for football pitches on London common land
With local residents we have scored a big win for public open space by defeating controversial plans for a commercial football facility on common land. Following a seven-day public inquiry, a government-appointed planning inspector has kicked out proposed fenced and floodlit football-pitches in a tranquil and secluded part of Tooting Bec Common, known as 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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Hertfordshire paths-champion wins our prestigious Eversley Award
Mr Chris Beney of Bushey in Hertfordshire is the second-ever winner of the Open Spaces Society’s rarely-presented Eversley Award for Outstanding Personal Endeavour. The award is named after Lord Eversley, the distinguished founder of the society in 1865, and for many years its president and chairman. It is presented occasionally by the trustees to people…
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No Convenience for Knowle Green
The high court has quashed an order stopping up public access to highway land at Knowle Green in the borough of Solihull. The order was made on our application. The land comprises the public conveniences and surrounding land on a traffic island at the junction of Station Road and the High Street in Knowle. The…
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People on foot lose out to cars in M42 road scheme
We are deeply disappointed that the Secretary of State for Transport, Mr Grant Shapps, has ignored the needs of pedestrians and approved a major scheme for the improvement of Junction 6 of the M42 in the West Midlands. The society is concerned that the development will sever principal routes running east-west and to Birmingham International…
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