We fight Disneyfication of Lake District commons
We have objected to applications to develop common land at White Moss near Grasmere in the Lake District National Park. The Lake District National Park Authority has refused two planning applications from Jim Lowther, brother of the eighth Earl of Lonsdale who is custodian of the family’s estate. The Lowther Estate wants to build a…
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Fence permitted on limestone beauty-spot
We are dismayed that the Planning Inspectorate has permitted an application from the Farleton Knott Commoners’ Association for a 550-metre fence along the west side of Puddlemire Lane across Farleton Knott common, in Cumbria, for a period of ten years. This limestone hill is of outstanding natural beauty and interest for its geology and flora…
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Unlawful works on common land at Epsom
We have deplored the unlawful construction of a cycle track on registered common land at Fair Green beside West Hill, Epsom in Surrey. Contractors for Crest Nicholson, Galliford Try and Linden Homes have built a cycle track on the common, pre-empting the organisations’ application for consent for the works. We objected to the application. It…
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United Utilities withdraws controversial Lake District fencing scheme
We are delighted that United Utilities (UU) has withdrawn its controversial application for 10 kilometres of fencing on common land above Thirlmere in the heart of the Lake District National Park. A public inquiry was due to open on 17 November. UU wants to carry out further consultation about its plans in the hope of…
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Bucks common freed of unlawful fence
We are delighted that unlawful fencing has been removed from Pinner Green common, near Latimer in Buckinghamshire. In 2013 it was reported that a local landowner had erected barbed-wire fencing around the small piece of common land which adjoins Blackwell Hall Lane, to prevent fly-tipping. The land is owned by Chiltern District Council. The fencing…
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Refusal of access track across historic Cumbrian common
We are delighted that the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has refused to allow an access track to be driven across ancient common land at Newbiggin, near Penrith in Cumbria. The common is known as Public Watering Place and has a number of springs with a series of ancient stone troughs…
Read MoreMixed decisions on Hackney Marshes developments
We are pleased that plans by the London Borough of Hackney to site a car-park on Hackney Marshes (East) have been refused, but concerned that a pavilion and car-park on Hackney Marshes (North) have been allowed. The Planning Inspectorate has determined applications for these works on common land, on behalf of the Secretary of State…
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The Elinor Ostrom Award for practitioners: video
The society was proud to receive the first Elinor Ostrom Award for practitioners, two years ago in Japan. This time, our general secretary Kate Ashbrook was one of the judges. She went to the biennial conference of the International Association for the Study of the Commons (IASC) in Edmonton, Canada, in May and presented the…
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Unlawful building on Clapham Common must stop
Lambeth Council has been unlawfully permitting large structures to be built on Clapham Common and the practice must stop. We have been provided with advice from an eminent QC confirming that Lambeth Council has been flouting legislation designed to protect the borough’s parks and open spaces. Over recent years the council has allowed a…
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We fight threat to Guildford’s unique commons
We have written to Guildford Borough Council’s head of development, Barry Fagg, calling on the council to abandon its plan to use three areas of common land close to Guildford in Surrey as Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG). This is proposed to compensate for development close to the Special Protection Area (SPA) of Whitmoor Common…
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