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Government failing in ambition to be ‘greenest ever’

November 27, 2012

The Coalition Government is failing on its own commitments to Britain’s natural environment: that’s the public’s view from a survey organised by Wildlife and Countryside Link (Link), a coalition of 39 leading environmental charities. Of those surveyed, less than a quarter (23%) think the Government is doing enough to protect our landscapes and wildlife—on land…

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OSS on BBC Countryfile

November 12, 2012

The society was featured on BBC One Countryfile on 11 November, arguing that the government’s proposed changes to village-greens law in the Growth and Infrastructure Bill are over the top, and will kill off genuine applications as well as dealing with vexatious ones. You can watch the programme here.

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Changes to village green law will not fit the bill

November 12, 2012

The excessive measures in the Growth and Infrastructure Bill to change the law on registering land as a town or village green should be reconsidered. So say the Open Spaces Society and the Campaign to Protect Rural England who, among others, are campaigning to amend clause 13 of the Bill.  Without changes, the Bill would…

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Win at Westfield Common, Woking

August 24, 2012

A public-inquiry inspector has thrown out plans by Woking Borough Council for a land swap at Westfield Common, Woking in Surrey.  The council wanted to build an access road across the common to the potential housing development nearby.  The proposal was rejected by inspector Mrs Helen Slade following a public inquiry last June.  This is the council’s second…

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Octavia – open spaces champion

August 14, 2012

Octavia Hill was an activist and committee member of the Open Spaces Society 20 years before she helped to found the National Trust. She campaigned for open spaces and public paths for the benefit of the public. We celebrated the centenary of her death on 13 April, and Radio 4 had a programme about her life.

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Red-tape review could threaten common land

March 19, 2012

We are concerned that plans to simplify the law of common land could put commons at risk of hostile development.  The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has published its plans to cut red tape for environmental regulations.  These include extending the range of works on common land to be exempted from the consent…

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David and Goliath battle for Harefield green

March 14, 2012

Next week is a further milestone in the campaign to save Harefield’s Medi Parc site as a green space for local people. On Tuesday (20 March) the public inquiry opens into the application by the Harefield Tenants’ and Residents’ Association to register the land as a village green. Harefield is a village on the western…

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