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We welcome two decisions by the Planning Inspectorate to grant applications to register common land in Cornwall. These are about three hectares at Burngullow Common (6.4 kilometres north-west of St Austell), and about five hectares at West Looe Downs at West Looe.
West Looe Downs looking east. Photo: Tomas Hill
The application for Burngullow Common was made by Tomas Hill on behalf of the Open Spaces Society, while that for West Looe Downs was made by Tomas with the society’s support.
Both commons were subject to an application for registration in 1968. St Mewan Parish Council applied to register Burngullow Common, and Looe Urban District Council applied for West Looe Downs. In both cases, following objections, the applications were withdrawn, and the registrations were cancelled.
Part 1 of the Commons Act 2006 reopened the opportunity to rescue lost commons which were excluded from registration in these circumstances. Under paragraph 4 of schedule 2 to the 2006 Act the land became eligible for re-registration. The applications for registration showed that the land is manorial in origin and that it meets the criteria for registration.
Says Frances Kerner, our commons re-registration officer: ‘We are delighted that these commons have been registered and that in due course the public will have the right to walk here.
Burngullow Common looking north east. Photo: Tomas Hill
‘Burngullow Common and West Looe Downs are examples of provisional registrations of common land, made under the Commons Registration Act 1965, being cancelled without full consideration given at the time to the merits of the application. While we recognise that West Looe Downs is in the care of the West Looe Town Trust, we are pleased that it and Burngullow Common now have the protection of the Commons Act 2006.’