Peer’s development plan threatens Lake District World Heritage status
Jim Lowther, brother of the eighth Earl of Lonsdale, who is custodian of the family’s 117-square-mile estate, is planning to develop common land at White Moss on the A591 between Rydal Water and Grasmere at the heart of the poet Wordsworth’s countryside. The Lowther estate stretches across Cumbria from Penrith to the Howgill fells—some of…
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We fight devastation of Radnorshire’s jewel
We have objected to two applications from Hendy Wind Farm Ltd to devastate Llandegley Rhos Common for a wind-farm on adjoining land. The company wants to build seven wind-turbines on land to the west of the common, obliterating the view to the striking Llandegley Rocks, five miles east of Llandrindod Wells. Because it intends to…
Read MoreBeauty-spot sun factory is rejected
We are delighted that plans for 29,000 solar panels on open fields at Forty Green, near Bledlow in Bucks, have been rejected by Wycombe District Councillors. The panels, with a substation and a variety of buildings, would have smothered 45 acres at the foot of the Chiltern escarpment. The campaign against the proposal was led…
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Secretary of State to consider revoking planning permission to build on Dundonald Rec, Merton
We were represented at a meeting with Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, at the House of Commons on Monday 27 October in support of our member, Protect Dundonald Rec Campaign Group. The campaigners for Dundonald Rec asked the Minister to exercise his power to revoke the planning permission granted by…
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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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Urbanisation of unspoilt Herefordshire countryside
We have objected to further plans by Bolderstone Innovative Energy Ltd to create new access to the Reeves Hill wind turbines on the prominent Herefordshire hilltop, close to the border with Powys. The four wind-turbines were given planning permission in 2012 but there are still outstanding issues to resolve. The proposed new access road is…
Read MoreWe fight development of Stockport’s green lung
We have objected to plans to develop part of the Reddish Vale Country Park, Stockport, for housing. Countryside Properties (UK) Ltd wants to build 99 houses there, on land north of Blackberry Lane. The society, in its objection letter to Stockport Council, has pointed out that the land is green belt and public open space…
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Local correspondents’ summit
Our local correspondents, our eyes and ears on the ground, are meeting this weekend at Hillscourt conference centre, Rednal, at the foot of the Lickey Hills in Worcestershire. There are a number of sessions on enforcement on public paths, protecting their full width and ensuring that all structures are friendly to users; saving greens and other…
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Wales apes England in changing law to destroy village greens
The society is dismayed that the Welsh Government proposes to copy England’s law and boost developers in destroying village greens. The Welsh Government in its Planning Bill, published today (6 October), copies England’s Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013. It prohibits the registration of land as a town or village green where it has been identified…
Read MoreVictory against destructive Somerset solar farm
We are delighted that plans by INRG Solar Ltd, for 25,000 solar panels at Tynings Farm, Kilmersdon, Somerset, have been rejected by a planning inspector. We backed our member, the Jack and Jill Hill Preservation Society in fighting the scheme. The developers appealed against Mendip District Council’s refusal of planning permission and inspector John Wilde…
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