Help us to celebrate the seventh anniversary of the South Downs National Park
The Hampshire Ramblers have organised an event to celebrate the seventh anniversary of the South Downs National Park, at which our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, is one of the speakers (at 3pm). It is on Saturday 15 April, starting at 11am at the South Downs Centre, Midhurst, West Sussex GU29 9DH. After a short introductory…
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Unfair land-swap at Therfield Heath Common, Royston
We have objected to a proposed land swap by the Conservators of Therfield Heath and Greens. The conservators wish to exchange 1.65 acres of common land off Sun Hill at Royston in Hertfordshire for the same area of woodland over a mile away. The proposed exchange is to enable the conservators to build eight dwellings…
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Eastbourne downs will not be sold
We are delighted that Eastbourne Borough Council has done a U-turn and decided not to sell 3,000 acres of its downland. The decision follows a public poll which showed that 75 per cent of respondents voted against the sale of downland, even though this may mean a cut in other services. We called on the…
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Public inquiry into diversion of Harrow School footpaths finishes
The public inquiry, which opened in January, into the diversion of two footpaths across Harrow School grounds, ended this week. It lasted for nearly six days instead of the scheduled three. The inquiry was prolonged partly because of the number of objectors to the scheme. These included the Open Spaces Society, Ramblers, Harrow Hill Trust…
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Vineyard development rejected in Kent beauty-spot
Gravesham Borough Council has refused a planning application from Mr Gurmeet Bassi for development in connection with his vineyard at Meopham in Kent. This is in a prominent position in an area of natural beauty, close to popular public footpaths. The application included a new barn for storage, workshop, office and meeting room, hardstanding for…
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Wisley interchange upgrade: Highways England must put its own house in order first
We have responded to the consultation on an upgrade to Wisley M25/A3 interchange by calling on Highways England to put its own house in order first. The society is opposed to the upgrade, but also notes that, more than 30 years after the construction of the M25 through Wisley common and Chatley Heath, the motorway…
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Friends of Coldhams Common celebrate removal of barbed wire fencing
Our member, Friends of Coldhams Common, is celebrating the removal of over 330m of barbed wire fence on the common. The fencing was a serious hazard to dogs and walkers on the common and probably dated from a 1980s City Council grant for tree planting. The barbed wire was erected to protect the trees from…
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We celebrate good news for riders and cyclists at North Lopham, Norfolk
We are delighted that a restricted byway has been newly recorded at North Lopham in south-west Norfolk. Norfolk County Council made a definitive map modification order, following an application made by our local correspondent Ian Witham on behalf of the society, in 2015. The order was confirmed by the council, unopposed, on 1 December 2016.…
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Fencing rejected on Snettisham Common
The Secretary of State for Environment has refused an application for fencing on Snettisham Common in north Norfolk. Snettisham Parish Council, which owns the common, had applied for retrospective consent for two lengths of fencing on the common, one around the top of a sandpit and the other between the car-parking area and the picnic…
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Saving open spaces and footpaths at Dorchester-on-Thames
Our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, and local correspondent for Oxfordshire, Chris Hall, will be speaking at a public meeting in Dorchester Village Hall on Tuesday 10th January as part of a local initiative to preserve footpaths and open access to the Dyke Hills and Days Lock area near Dorchester-on-Thames. Local resident, and OSS member Becky…
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