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The Planning Inspectorate has rejected an application from Barmby Moor Parish Council to swap part of the village green, near Pocklington in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The parish council wanted to allow a private vehicular-access across the green. We were the sole objector.
We considered that the swap was unfair, since the proposed exchange land already has full rights of public access and is used as a playground. The inspector, Susan Doran, agreed. She concluded that the swap would ‘result in a reduction in public access to village green land since, although larger, the replacement land already enjoys public access’. The application therefore failed to meet the tests for exchange.
We are pleased that the Planning Inspectorate agreed with us that there is no benefit to the public from this exchange. Village greens are important for public enjoyment and must be protected from development.