New village green at Camrose in Pembrokeshire
The Lambston Parish Residents’ Association in Camrose community, Pembrokeshire, is celebrating the registration of an open space in Sutton as a village green. The one-acre site, just to the west of Haverfordwest, has been enjoyed by local people for informal recreation and social events for decades. Since the owner is not known, the Lambston residents…
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Freshwater, Isle of Wight, sets fine example in protecting green space
We have congratulated Freshwater Parish Council for designating land as Local Green Space (LGS) in its neighbourhood plan. Freshwater, on the western side of the Isle of Wight, is a largely rural parish. The parish council has identified and designated 15 LGSs* which meet the government’s criteria. The council created a checklist against which to…
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We fight loss of open space in Bolsover
We have joined the campaign against a development on land north of Clowne, at Bolsover in Derbyshire. The society has objected to an outline planning application from Waystone Ltd for mixed-use development, including employment land, 1,800 residential dwellings, a retirement village, hotel and much more. We have backed CPRE Derbyshire and others in opposing the…
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We urge Powys Council to reject damaging development in Glasbury
We are concerned that Powys County Council’s principal planning officer has recommended approval of an outline planning application for 12 dwellings and associated works in the village of Glasbury on the River Wye in Powys. The application will be determined by the Planning, Taxi Licensing and Rights of Way Committee on Thursday 15 March. The…
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Fencing allowed on Betws Common, Ammanford
We are disappointed that Welsh ministers have approved an application from Betws Common Holdings for nearly one mile of new fences on Betws Common, near Ammanford in Carmarthenshire. Because the fence comprises works on common land which will prevent or impede access, the applicant needed the consent of Welsh Ministers under section 38 of the…
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We call for new policy in London Plan to save green spaces
In our response to the London Mayor’s draft new London Plan we have called for London boroughs to dedicate their green spaces as town greens. The society has proposed the inclusion of a new policy: ‘Boroughs should dedicate any green spaces in their ownership as town greens, under the Commons Act 2006. This will protect…
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Protests over abuse of Clapham Common
Our local correspondent Jeremy Clyne has written to Lambeth Council to protest against the exploitation of open space in the borough, and the damage caused. The situation has become so critical that local people are saying the flagship Clapham Common might be better renamed ‘Clapham Commercial’. A large swathe of the common is still fenced…
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Delight at withdrawal of ‘Zipper-mere’ plan
We are highly relieved that Treetop Trek has withdrawn its planning application for a massive zip-wire development across Thirlmere, in the heart of the Lake District National Park. The proposals included eight cables stretching across the lake, with take-off and landing points, gantries, more car-parking provision and buildings. Treetop Trek claims it has withdrawn the…
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We call for new open space designation in Wales
We have called on the Welsh Government to introduce a statutory designation for open space, to ensure that it is properly protected and can be enjoyed by local people. The society has responded to the Welsh Government consultation on changes to town and village green legislation in the Planning (Wales) Act 2015. Town and village…
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Lake District zip-wire approval causes dismay
We are dismayed that the Lake District National Park Authority’s Development Control Committee has approved the Honister zip-wire. The application was made by the Honister Slate Mine for an aerial zip-wire and other structures over the Honister Pass in the Lake District National Park The committee overturned the recommendation for refusal from national park planning…
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