Law denied
While researching our 150-year history, I have been struck repeatedly by the number of times we have taken or backed court action. So writes our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, in her Opinion in the latest edition of our magazine Open Space. Indeed, had we not gone to the courts to assert the rights of commoners and to…
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Chunks of the Lake District National Park to be sold
Update, 16 March 2015 Bidding closed on 12 March and the Lake District National Park Authority has published an update on its website. It reports that: We have identified new future owners for two properties (Longbridge, Portinscale and Lady Wood, White Moss) We are in discussions with a charitable body for one property (Blea Brows)…
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Proposed ‘environmental trust’ is irrelevant
The announcement by the Circuit of Wales developers that they intend to set up an ecological trust to fund environmental improvements around the development site at Ebbw Vale is irrelevant. The society is to appear at the public inquiry on Thursday [19 March] in opposition to the developers’ proposals for exchange of common land. The…
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New tool-kit to save open spaces
We have launched our campaign to save England’s much-loved open spaces. We have published an open spaces tool-kit for communities to protect their green spaces, and have called on planning authorities to respond positively to requests to save local spaces. Our tool-kit consists of three handbooks: How to win local green space through neighbourhood plans;…
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We celebrate our 150-year struggle for open spaces
We have published our new book, Saving Open Spaces, the story of our 150-year struggle for commons, greens, open spaces and paths. It is written by our general secretary for 31 years, Kate Ashbrook. The society was formed in 1865 as the Commons Preservation Society to rescue London’s threatened commons—Hampstead Heath, Wimbledon Common and Epping…
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Cock-up of Wales
Two years ago the society objected to the planning application for the Circuit of Wales motor-sports development on common land, just north of Ebbw Vale in south Wales. At that time the developer, the Heads of the Valleys Development Company, stated optimistically and inaccurately on its website that ‘planning permission is the final hurdle’. Although…
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We fight plan to replace wind turbines on Cumbrian commons
We have objected to plans by RWE Innogy to replace the wind turbines on common land at Kirkby Moor, Cumbria, with much bigger ones. When the planning consent for the 12 turbines expires in 2018, Pegasus plans to replace them with six turbines which are more than twice the height. Whereas the current turbines are 42.2…
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Norfolk footpath to stay put
We are delighted that, thanks to our objection, a public footpath in Norfolk’s Breckland District will remain on its ancient, direct route. The footpath is at Lyng, four miles south of Reepham. Breckland District Council wanted to move the route which runs past the property Patholme. The council was concerned that the existence of the…
Read MoreWind turbines will rip the heart out of Rochdale common
We have objected most strongly to a planning application from Coronation Power Ltd, to build 12 wind turbines and associated structures on common land north of Rochdale. The proposed development is on Rooley Moor common. It is extraordinary that the applicants should have chosen to construct this development on common land, where both walkers and…
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Decisions for Haven Green common, Ealing
Our member, the Friends of Haven Green (FoHG), is pleased to report two decisions from the Planning Inspectorate concerning Haven Green, Ealing. The first stems from last September’s public inquiry into Ealing Council’s planned changes to the green in preparation for Crossrail. These would have widened the pavements, and created a counter-flow cycle lane on the east…
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