No authority for alien hedge on Hertfordshire common
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has refused consent to Mr James Wright for a conifer hedge on registered common land at the former Old Chequers pub near Flamstead in Hertfordshire. The society and Flamstead Parish Council were among the nine objectors to the application for works on common land, under…
Read MoreWe object to ice-cream van on Bristol Downs
We have objected to an application from Bristol City Council to site an ice-cream van on common land at Clifton Down, Bristol. The council has applied for consent for works on common land, under section 38 of the Commons Act 2006, to construct an asphalt surface, on the corner of Observatory Road and Suspension Bridge…
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Henley Festival’s u-turn shows contempt for international footpath
We have condemned Henley Festival’s u-turn on its location which is likely to result in the continued closure of the Thames Path National Trail during the festival in July. The Festival had been planning to move from the traditional Regatta site downstream to the Henley Business School. Now it has decided to remain on the…
Read MorePublic paths signposted in memory of Gloucestershire benefactor
The society and Gloucestershire Ramblers, working with the Gloucestershire County Council public rights of way team, are delighted that the county council is now making use of a 50-year-old fund for signposting footpaths around Cheltenham. The fund was established in 1959, on the death of Herbert Lucas Bradbury, a far-sighted Cheltenham benefactor. Mr Bradbury left…
Read MoreOSS debates greens on You and Yours
The society was on Radio 4’s You and Yours on Monday 7 October, debating new greens and the damaging effects of the recent law changes in England. You can listen to the debate here.
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Competing demands on Chiltern commons
We are participating in the Chilterns Commons Day at Chorleywood Common, Hertfordshire, organised by the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Commons Project on 3 October. The day will focus on the dilemmas of managing sports and recreation on registered common land, and practical solutions. Chorleywood Common has a cricket-pitch, a nine-hole golf-course and a…
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Village-green system not being increasingly abused: our response to Defra
We have responded robustly to Defra’s press release today (1 October), New measures to increase rural home-building. This is about the new regulations in England which have been introduced today to restrict applications to register land as a town or village green. Defra claims that the new measures will stop the village-green system from being…
Read MoreWelsh ministers refuse private works on Aberdovey Common
We are delighted that the Welsh ministers have refused consent to Mr J T Dudley to build a garage and boat store with ancillary development on Aberdovey Common in the Snowdonia National Park. Although the national park authority approved the development in January, Mr Dudley needed the consent of the Welsh ministers for works on…
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Norfolk Coast path risks being a subdued trail
The Norfolk coast path is at risk of being ‘a subdued trail that would miss out some of the most majestic stretches of our coastline’. So declares our Norfolk local correspondent, Ian Witham. Ian has commented on Natural England’s consultation for the stretch of coastal access, to be introduced under the Marine and Coastal Access…
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We’re prepared for the fight to save the path to Morfa Beach
We have taken the next step in our campaign to save a vital public path to Morfa Beach near Margam on the South Wales coast. We have submitted our evidence to the forthcoming public inquiry into Neath Port Talbot’s Council’s plan to close the popular Longlands Lane, footpath 92, and to move a nearby path,…
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