The tide has turned
Our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, writes about worrying changes in legal opinion. Fifteen years ago the Sunningwell case clarified the law on village greens in the public interest. Since then a series of cases has gone the same way—but now the tide has turned. Already this year we have had three judgments about greens in…
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Fisherman’s Beach town green registration celebrated
After three years’ hard work, residents of Hythe, near Folkestone in Kent have obtained town green status for Fisherman’s Beach in the western end of the town. Shepway Environment and Community Network (SECN), set up by local resident David Plumstead some years ago, first applied for registration in 2010 and finally achieved registration by Kent…
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Our manifesto for green spaces
We have published our manifesto for the 2015 Westminster election. We are calling on politicians of all parties to support these policies. Good-quality paths and green spaces are vital to people’s well-being and they support the economy too. So we are urging politicians to adopt policies which protect and promote commons, greens, other open spaces…
Read MoreBeauty-spot wind-turbine slated
We have added our voice to objectors to a 40-metre-high wind turbine in the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The turbine is proposed at Israel Farm, Lawkland, four miles west of Settle. Other objectors include CPRE Craven and Lawkland Parish Council. The Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty should be…
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We exhort councillors to back riverside route for missing link in Thames Path
Stop press: Unfortunately, at its meeting on 5 June, the council agreed to pursue the roadside route and the car park on Bridge Gardens. We shall fight this. We have called on Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Councillors to vote today for a riverside route to fill the long-standing missing link in the Thames Path National…
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All-party support for village greens in Wales
There was all-party support in the National Assembly for Wales for maintaining the current laws for registering greens. The debate was initiated on 30 April by Suzy Davies, Conservative Assembly Member (AM) for South Wales West and Shadow Minister for Welsh Culture, Language and Tourism. Suzy asked the Minister for Natural Resources and Food, Alun…
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A fair exchange
In February the Planning Inspectorate approved an application from Mr Ewan Bumpstead to swap 418 square metres of common land in front of his property at Booker in Buckinghamshire with 2544 square metres in a nearby wood. We supported the application. When Mr Bumpstead bought the property in 2010 he knew that the land in…
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Reignite the campaigning Kinder trespassers’ zeal
‘We must reignite the campaigning zeal of the Kinder trespassers. Times are tough for countryside campaigners, but the spirit of Kinder will carry us through.’ So declared our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, at the Spirit of Kinder event to celebrate the 82nd anniversary of the famous mass trespass. This was held at Sheffield Town Hall…
Read MorePublic Right of Way to Crinnis Beach at Carlyon Bay
There is to be a Public Inquiry on Tuesday 10th June 2014 starting at 10.00 a.m. To be held in the Council Chamber at St Austell One Stop-Shop, 39 Penwinnick Road, St. Austell PL25 5DR. Cornwall Council has already found that this right exists, to mean high water mark. However, objections to this small, but…
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‘Pathfinder Pat’ dies aged 97, still fighting for rights of way in Kent
We are sad to report that Pat Wilson, our vice-president and local correspondent, who fought for paths and open spaces throughout Kent and Medway for more than 50 years, has died aged 97 at her home in Kent. Pat was our local correspondent for Medway for 20 years. Before that she served as Ramblers’ footpath…
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