Celebrating upland commons
Thanks to National Lottery players some of our best loved places in the uplands of England will be better looked after. A partnership of 24 organisations, including the society, will empower those who graze common land, the commoners, to manage them better to restore peat, create habitats for birds and butterflies, and improve the quality…
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We help to save Surrey common from enclosure
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has refused consent to the Hon Peter Herbert for fencing and a gate across part of Blackheath Common in Surrey. Blackheath is four miles south-east of Guildford in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Peter Herbert, lord of the manor, wanted to erect…
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No Convenience for Knowle Green
The high court has quashed an order stopping up public access to highway land at Knowle Green in the borough of Solihull. The order was made on our application. The land comprises the public conveniences and surrounding land on a traffic island at the junction of Station Road and the High Street in Knowle. The…
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We slate cavalier treatment of national trail in Dover development
We have objected to the cavalier treatment of the North Downs Way National Trail in the ‘White Cliffs Inland Border Facility’ development north of Dover in Kent. The society has supported the objection from the White Cliffs Group of the Ramblers. The Department for Transport wants to shove the ancient way onto a circuitous route…
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Our new watchdog in the West Midlands
We have appointed Jack Jennings as our local correspondent for Sutton Coldfield and North Warwickshire. Jack will act for the society in keeping a close watch on paths, commons, greens and open spaces in his area and defending them from adverse change. Jack has lived in Sutton Coldfield for much of his life, and has…
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Make new greens for London
We have called for developers and landowners in London to dedicate open spaces as town greens, to protect them in perpetuity and to give local people rights of recreation there. The society has responded to the London Mayor’s consultation on the Public London Charter, which sets out the rights and responsibilities for users, owners and…
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Our 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…
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Our last-minute bid to rescue lost commons
We have made 78 applications to rescue lost commons in England’s seven pioneer areas[1] before the deadline of 31 December 2020. The applications are to register these precious spaces as common land. If successful, they will give the public the right to walk, and in some cases to ride, on the land and will protect…
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We fight development on Conwy common
We have objected to a planning application on a common at Mynydd Bodrochwyn, Llanfair Talhaiarn, five miles south of Abergele in Conwy. The application, from Mr Norman Frost, is for a museum and car-park. The North Wales Ramblers are among the objectors. The Open Spaces Society has pointed out that, since the land affected…
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