Statement on criminal trespass
We have joined with eight other organisations in a letter to the Home Secretary, condemning plans to make trespass a criminal offence. Our letter comes ahead of the publication of the government’s Police Powers and Protections Bill which will enact the Conservative Party’s manifesto commitment to ‘make intentional trespass a criminal offence’. The society has expressed…
Read MoreWe back Vision for Planning 2021 launch
Our case office, Nicola Hodgson, has helped to craft this Vision for Planning document which was launched at an event on 14 January attended by the housing minister, Chris Pincher. Eighteen organisations representing housing, planning, transport, the environment, heritage and public health, came together to promote an alternative vision to the government’s Planning for the…
Read MoreOur new ‘eyes and ears’ for north Dorset
We have appointed Keith Yarwood as our local correspondent for north Dorset. Keith will be our eyes and ears, keeping a close watch on paths, commons, greens and open spaces in the former North Dorset District Council area. Keith is also vice-chair of Stourpaine Parish Council. He is familiar with checking the state of public…
Read MoreNew correspondent for Barnet
We have appointed Peter Berrecloth as our local correspondent for Barnet. Peter is a keen walker, and has walked the length of both Wales and Scotland in winter, a total of 700 miles. He is currently working on a project to trace Barnet’s ancient drovers’ routes which would have been used to drive livestock from…
Read MoreOur new watchdog for Market Harborough
We have appointed Peter Pollak as local correspondent for Market Harborough District in Leicestershire. Peter will keep a close watch on paths, commons, greens and other open spaces in the area and will intervene when they are threatened. Peter was an Engineer Surveyor for the insurance business. During that time, he undertook surveys of local…
Read MoreCelebrating the CROW Act’s 20th birthday
Today, 30 November, we celebrate 20 years since the Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act obtained royal assent. Part one of the Act was a great milestone in the history of the access movement, giving the public the right to walk responsibly on all registered common land and mapped mountain, moor, heath and down…
Read MoreGifting paths and open spaces via a society membership subscription
Do you know someone who enjoys spending time in open spaces or exploring our amazing network of paths? Would you like to buy a gift in this pandemic year that shows how much we have all come to value our outdoors, now more than ever? Would you like to make an environmentally friendly and ethical…
Read MoreNew green at Scorton, North Yorkshire
We have congratulated Scorton Parish Council on its voluntary registration of land as a new village green. The land is adjacent to Blenheim Close at the southern end of the village which is north-east of Catterick in North Yorkshire. The new green adjoins the existing Jubilee Green which was registered two years ago. The parish…
Read MoreProtecting Wales’s local spaces through good design and community involvement
We have signed the Placemaking Wales Charter, pledging to support its objectives. These include a commitment to support the creation of high-quality places across Wales for the benefit of communities. The charter has been developed by the Welsh government and the Design Commission for Wales in collaboration with the Placemaking Wales partnership. It has more…
Read More