Newhaven Beach: landmark case for village greens to be heard in Supreme Court
The landmark case for the registration of land as a village green, at West Beach, Newhaven, East Sussex, is set to be heard in the Supreme Court on Monday and Tuesday next week (3-4 November). We are backing our member, Newhaven Town Council, the applicant for the village green. The council applied to register the…
Read MorePath to Ramsgate Harbour confirmed
The society is delighted that a new public highway has been recorded at Ramsgate harbour in Kent. The route runs between Madeira Walk and the lower esplanade at the harbour via a flight of steps and a tunnel. The society’s local correspondent for Thanet, Gordon Sencicle, backed the claim. Because there was an objection, the…
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Hampshire County Council to stop public from claiming rights on its land
We are dismayed that Hampshire County Council, the greens registration authority, is posting notices on all its countryside sites to prevent people from registering the land as a village green or claiming public paths there. The county council has written to all the parish clerks in Hampshire to warn them that the notices are going…
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Riverside path at Purfleet re-opens after nearly 20 years
After nearly 20 years of obstruction, the riverside path at Purfleet, which leads to Grays, has re-opened following action by keen Thames-side walker and Open Spaces Society member Chris Smith. Chris was pleased to have the support of the OSS and the Ramblers. The path was obstructed in the 1990s near Purfleet Station by a…
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Oxfordshire County Council plans Cinderella paths to save money
We have urged 51 town and parish councils in Oxfordshire to reject Oxfordshire County Council’s plan to categorise local paths according to their use. The county has written to a number of local councils encouraging them to consider this. The society advises that this could lead to less-well-used paths being relegated so that they become…
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Henley council rejects path discrimination
We have congratulated Henley Town Council on refusing to comply with Oxfordshire County Council’s plan to categorise local paths according to their use. Councillors, advised by the society, considered that this could lead to less-well-used paths being relegated so that they become obstructed and overgrown. The county council, the highway authority responsible for Oxfordshire’s public…
Read MoreRailway-crossing path saved
The society and the Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes and West Middlesex Ramblers are delighted that they have helped to save a popular footpath which crosses the railway line just south of Griffin Lane, north-west Aylesbury. Network Rail, backed by Bucks County Council, wanted to close the path on alleged safety grounds. They intended that people would instead…
Read MoreKent’s coastal access needs your help
Natural England is making good progress with coastal access around England. A stretch which is nearing fruition is between Folkestone and Ramsgate in Kent. Kent Ramblers, through its coastal access officer Ian Wild and with support from the OSS, has worked closely with Natural England and we are all pleased with the route which Natural England proposed…
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Private-parking plan rejected on Surrey common
The Planning Inspectorate has rejected plans by the Shere Manor Estate to create parking spaces on Hurtwood Common near Holmbury St Mary in Surrey. This was to be in connection with the housing development proposed for the former Hollybush Tavern. The development had been granted planning permission in January 2013 but, because the works were…
Read MoreCommon-land swap approved for Walton Heath, Surrey
The Planning Inspectorate has approved plans by Walton Heath Golf Club to swap an area of common land known as Beecham’s Field on the golf course for a site some distance away. The land to be taken is 80,000 square metres on the west side of the golf course (near the car-park) which the golf…
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