Latest News

Our new activist for Wealden District, East Sussex

March 12, 2014

We have appointed Mr Brendan Clegg as our local correspondent for Wealden District in East Sussex. Brendan will be the society’s eyes and ears, keeping a close watch on paths, commons, greens and open spaces in the district and intervening as necessary. Says Brendan: ‘I am very pleased to be appointed as local correspondent for…

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Speak up for commons, open spaces and footpaths in East Sussex

December 8, 2014

The Open Spaces Society is urging everyone who walks, rides or cycles on the commons, open spaces and footpaths of East Sussex to tell East Sussex County Council how important those facilities are to them. The council is conducting a survey of usage of these facilities. You can find it on the consultations page of…

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Our new representative in Spelthorne Borough, Surrey 

February 9, 2024

We have appointed Ashley Redsell as our local correspondent to watch over the commons of Spelthorne Borough in Surrey.  Ashley will keep a close eye on developments in Spelthorne, and where attempts are made to take over common land, he will work with the borough and county councils, and local residents to prevent this destruction. …

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New watchdog in Ceredigion

January 25, 2024

We have appointed Richard Price as our local correspondent for west Ceredigion.  Richard will be the society’s eyes and ears here, keeping a close watch on paths, commons, greens, and open spaces.  He shares the county with Gerald Davies who covers east Ceredigion.  Richard’s background is in financial services, having been an independent financial adviser…

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Halesowen Abbey, the view from the Monarch's Way of St Mary's Abbey ruins and Manor Abbey Farm.© Copyright Gordon Griffiths and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

New champion for paths and open spaces in Dudley 

December 15, 2023

We have appointed Mick Freer as our local correspondent for Dudley Borough.  Mick will be the society’s watchdog here, keeping a close eye on paths, commons, greens, and open spaces, and defending them in the public interest.    Mick has lived all his life on the doorstep of the beautiful Clent Hills, and his interest in…

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We win recorded route in East Sussex 

August 18, 2023

We are celebrating the addition of a 2.3-kilometre restricted byway to the official map of public paths in East Sussex.  The route was claimed, based on historical evidence, by our local correspondent for Lewes, Chris Smith.    The path runs from Robin Post Lane in the north (to the west of the A27 between Hailsham and…

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Our new advocate in the north west

June 19, 2023

We have appointed Ken Sharp as our local correspondent for West Lancashire and parts of Merseyside. Ken will be our watchdog here, keeping a close eye on paths, commons, greens, and open spaces.  He will cover West Lancashire District, Knowsley, Liverpool City, St Helen’s Borough, and Sefton Metropolitan Borough. Following a 38-year career in information…

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Our new campaigner in Buckinghamshire’s former Chiltern district

November 28, 2022

We have appointed Aidan Harris as our local correspondent for the former Chiltern district in Buckinghamshire. On behalf of the society, Aidan will champion public paths, and commons, greens and other open spaces in his patch.  He will respond to proposals to alter the routes of public paths and advise the society and its members…

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Chas Townley on Rodborough Common

Our new activist in Gloucestershire

October 3, 2022

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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The non-highway land (where the car is parked). Photo: Brian Keates

Much ado about nothing

November 18, 2021

Our Coventry local correspondent John Hall, with assistance from one of our case officers, Hugh Craddock, exposes the sloppy approach to rights-of-way matters by the National Transport Casework Team (NTCT), and persuades it to put things right. In March, the NTCT proposed to make two orders under section 247 of the Town and Country Planning…

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