Pennine walkers hit out at path cuts
Our general secretary Kate Ashbrook has slated government plans to cut local-council spending on public rights of way. Kate, who is also patron of the Walkers Are Welcome Town Network and a trustee of the Ramblers, was launching the South Pennines Walk & Ride Festival in the Walkers Are Welcome town of Ilkley, West Yorkshire,…
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New activist for South Derbyshire
We have appointed Barry Thomas, of Melbourne, south of Derby, as our local correspondent for South Derbyshire. Barry will be our eyes and ears in this area, keeping a close watch on the state of the paths and reporting any problems to Derbyshire County Council, the highway authority. Barry is a retired Derby teacher, where…
Read MoreThreat to Hertfordshire’s prime path
We have objected to plans to site two new schools at Whittington Way on the south side of Bishop’s Stortford in Hertfordshire, because they will severely interfere with the Hertfordshire Way long-distance footpath.(1) The governors of the Bishop’s Stortford and Herts & Essex High Schools want to move the two schools to the Whittington Way…
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Closure of Waterfoot path
An inspector acting for the environment secretary has ruled that Rawtenstall public footpath number 237 should be closed, to enable Lancashire County Council to build a new Waterfoot Primary School. There were nine objections, from the Open Spaces Society, Rossendale Ramblers and others, to Lancashire County Council’s plan to stop up the path, and a…
Read MoreBodmin Moor saved from monstrous turbines
We are delighted that Cornwall Council’s planning committee has rejected the application for 20 wind turbines at Davidstow Wood, adjoining Bodmin Moor, at its meeting on 22 July. Says Kate Ashbrook, our general secretary: ‘We opposed the application because of the disastrous effect these monstrous turbines and their associated development would have on the beautiful,…
Read MoreDismay at new tennis-courts on common land
Three new tennis-courts and other works have been permitted on Therfield Heath Common in Hertfordshire. The Conservators of Therfield Heath, on behalf of Royston Tennis Club, sought consent from the Planning Inspectorate, under section 38 of the Commons Act 2006, for three new and three replacement tennis-courts, lighting columns, a log-cabin clubhouse and mesh fencing…
Read MoreDon’t cut the countryside!
England’s conservation organisations have joined forces to paint a grim picture of a countryside starved of money by budget cuts. On the 30th anniversary of the Wildlife and Countryside Link, of which the Open Spaces Society is a member, its members have issued an unprecedented warning about what the future would hold should the Government…
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Our founder honoured on Hightown Common
We joined the National Trust and the Ringwood and Fordingbridge Footpath Society on 29 June in marking the restoration by the trust of an important seat on Hightown Common in the New Forest. We toasted the society’s founder, Lord Eversley, in whose memory the 40-acre common was acquired in 1929, the year after his death.…
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Our open day
OSS members enjoyed the society’s open day, at Netley Abbey in Hampshire, on 26 June. The event was hosted by our member, the Bursledon Rights of Way and Amenities Preservation Group which is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year. There were talks and discussion about open spaces and paths in the morning, with a choice…
Read MoreConservation not cuts
We are calling on the government to recognise in its spending review the value to the nation of green spaces, lovely places and public paths and access. Our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, was speaking at an open day at Netley Abbey, Hampshire, organised by the Bursledon rights of Way and Amenities Preservation Group and opened…
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