International accolade for OSS
We have won a prestigious international award for our work on common land. Our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, will receive the first-ever Elinor Ostrom Award at a global conference in Japan next month. The award was established by 15 institutions in memory of the renowned academic expert on commons, Elinor Ostrom of Indiana University, who…
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Bernard Selwyn (1925-2013)
We are sad that our vice-president Bernard Selwyn died on 14 May after a short illness. He was 87. Bernard was a chartered surveyor with the Greater London Council. He was a member of our executive committee (1982-2006), our parliamentary agent (1993-2005) and our spokesman for London. Bernard was immensely generous. In 1994 he suffered…
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Common-land swap refused at Booker
The Planning Inspectorate has refused an application to make a swap of common land at Booker, near High Wycombe in Bucks. The application was made by Dr Ewan Bumpstead, the owner of a property on Willow Avenue the front garden of which is 330 square metres of registered common land. He wanted to exchange this…
Read MoreThe Growth and Infrastructure Act – the effect on greens
On 25 April the Growth and Infrastructure Bill received royal assent and is now the Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013. Despite all our efforts, the provisions relating to town and village greens were not amended. The Bill was guillotined when it returned to the House of Commons and MPs did not even get the opportunity to…
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We call on Bristol’s Downs Committee to revoke zoo-parking licence
Today (22 April) we shall to call on Bristol’s Downs Committee to revoke the licence it granted in January for the Downs to be used as zoo parking for a further five years. We have also called for the Committee’s role to be reviewed. Our local member Julie Boston will speak about this at the…
Read MoreIs no landscape safe? Threat of turbines in Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Community Windpower Ltd wants to erect 10 wind turbines on common land in the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Lancashire. The application has been submitted to Lancaster City Council and is the company’s third attempt to put turbines on the lovely Claughton Moor and Whit Moor. We are backing Stop Claughton…
Read MoreGrowth & Infrastructure Bill update
On Tuesday 16 April the House of Commons will debate the amendments which the Lords have made to the Growth and Infrastructure Bill. There are two which concern us—and they ought to concern MPs because they were promoted by the government at a very late stage. They could have been included in the Bill from…
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Charlton Common inquiry adjourned
The public inquiry into a new access-road across Charlton Common in South Gloucestershire opened yesterday (9 April) and was immediately adjourned. The room at the BAWA Club, Filton, was overflowing with objectors from Southmead, Brentry and Henbury, who had not been consulted about the plans and who were angry at what was proposed. The inspector,…
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Our challenge to Wales’s new environmental body
We have welcomed the new environmental body, Natural Resources Wales (NRW), which comes into existence today (1 April) and we have set it a number of challenges. The common land of Wales is immensely important for its natural beauty, wildlife habitats, archaeology, culture and opportunities for informal recreation. Eight per cent of Wales is common…
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Runnymede’s plan to build on green belt next to common
We have objected to the policy in Runnymede Borough Council’s draft local plan core strategy which would remove land from the green belt and build 1500 houses there, next to Chobham Common in Surrey. We are concerned that the proposed development adjoins Chobham Common, an important lowland heath with a multitude of designations, which reflects…
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