Worcestershire Council rules out Trimpley Green loss
We have welcomed the decision of Worcestershire County Council to reject an application to deregister part of Trimpley Green, common land near Kidderminster. The application was made to the council in July 2016, in relation to land east of the pond on the Habberley road. The application proposed to deregister common land adjacent to Crofton…
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Common-land swap defeated at Therfield Heath
With other objectors we are delighted to have defeated the proposed exchange of common land at Therfield Heath, near Royston in Hertfordshire. The Conservators of Therfield Heath and Greens wanted to swap 1.65 acres of common land off Sun Hill for the same area of woodland over a mile away. The proposed exchange was to…
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Government misses the opportunity to protect open space
We have criticised the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for its lack of protection of open space. The ministry has recently consulted on a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), to which the we have responded. In particular, the society believes that the proposed new NPPF undermines the Local Green Space (LGS) designation…
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Post-Brexit funding for farmers must include support for public access and common land
We have called for post-Brexit funding for agriculture to include support for public access to the countryside. The society has responded to the government’s consultation, Health and Harmony: the future for food, farming and the environment in a Green Brexit, a precursor to the Agriculture Bill. The government has said that public money must pay…
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Eyesore rejected on much-loved Bridgend common
Welsh Ministers have rejected an application for timber posts on Pen Y Fai Common at Bridgend. The application for works on common land was made by Save Our Greenery, to prevent vehicles from parking on the common. The decision letter came from planning inspector Joanne Burston, on behalf of the Welsh ministers who determine applications…
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Badley Moor common, Norfolk, accessible at last
Dereham Walkers Are Welcome and the society are delighted that Mr Anema, the owner of Badley Moor common near Dereham in Norfolk, has erected a kissing-gate, giving access to the common. After some time when there was no effective access, a stile had been put up, but this failed to meet Natural England’s accessibility criteria…
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Appeal court upholds village green registrations in Lancashire and Surrey
We are delighted that the Court of Appeal has upheld the registration of village greens at Moorside Fields in Lancaster and Leach Grove Wood at Leatherhead in Surrey.(1) The two cases were heard together and the court has dismissed an appeal from Lancashire County Council which, as the education authority, owns the 13-hectare Moorside Fields.…
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Join us to celebrate the Spirit of Kinder
Our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, will be one of the expert speakers at a celebration of the Spirit of Kinder to be held at Friends Meeting House, Manchester on Saturday 21 April 2018 from 13.15 to 16.00. In addition to her work with OSS, Kate is chair and a vice-president of the Ramblers, vice-chair of…
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Industrialisation of The Canyons, Torfaen
We have objected to an application from Peakman Ltd to develop Mynydd Llanhilleth Common, near Abertillery in Torfaen, south Wales. Peakman wants to build a new haul road, widen the existing Cefn Crib road and erect fencing on the common to enable it to extract aggregates from the nearby quarry. Because the works affect common…
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We remain vigilant for ancient Hertfordshire route
We are concerned that an ancient public route at Broxbourne in Hertfordshire remains under threat from development plans by Broxbourne School. The intention is to demolish the old school and build a new academy, with 150 houses on the old school site. Broxbourne School has recently submitted amended plans, and the society notes that while…
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