We call on health secretary to make public access a reality
We were delighted to learn that the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, enjoys walking. Consequently, we have called on him to expedite the promised green paper on access to nature. Wes Streeting told The Observer (21 December) that he enjoys ‘the occasional solitary walk’ which allows him to ‘“decompress” from…
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Open Spaces Society celebrates new town green in Swaffham, Norfolk
We’re delighted to have won a new town green in Swaffham, Norfolk. The land is to the east of the town between Norwich Road and North Pickenham Road. The society negotiated the registration of the green within BDW Trading Ltd’s development in exchange for withdrawing its objection to the diversion of a footpath across the site. The society’s…
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Activists press government to act for access
Activists for greater rights of public access to the countryside, gathering at Hebden Bridge town hall in Calderdale on 29 November, called on the government to legislate for access to the land and inland waters of England for outdoor recreation and enjoyment of nature. This was the eve of the 25th anniversary of the landmark…
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Emma’s opportunity
Our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, urges the new Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Reynolds, to act for access. Kate welcomes Emma to the role and writes: We hope Emma will bring change where now there is stagnation. Let’s hope she recognises that public access, too often relegated to the bottom…
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Clyne Common, Swansea, saved from housing development
The attempt by the Duke of Beaufort’s Somerset Trust to take part of Clyne Common at West Cross for housing development has finally been refused. The deputy minister, Huw Irranca-Davis, has rejected the trust’s application to deregister 2.8 hectares on the eastern side of the common (the ‘release land’) and replace it with 3.4 hectares…
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We celebrate our Herefordshire volunteer’s law degree
Our local correspondent for south Herefordshire, Dave Howerski, has obtained a law degree from the Open University. Dave was inspired to study for this through his voluntary work for the society, campaigning for public paths, threatening legal action, and persuading Herefordshire Council to carry out its statutory duty to protect and maintain them. Dave, who…
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Government challenged to save missing commons
On the sixtieth anniversary of the Commons Registration Act 1965, we have challenged ministers to re-open the closed registers in England, and save thousands of square miles of green land for the people to enjoy. In a letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Rt Hon Steve Reed MP,…
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More Dartmoor land restored as common
Another piece of the Dartmoor National Park in Devon has been registered as common land. Planning Inspector Nigel Farthing has granted the society’s application to register as common about 82.25 hectares of part of Ditsworthy Warren. The land, which is about 2.5 kilometres east of Sheepstor, is grazed and uncultivated. In 1968, a tract of…
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We celebrate Brent River Park on fiftieth anniversary
‘The Open Spaces Society warmly salutes the visionaries who founded the Brent River Park, and all who have made it the lovely space it is today.’ So said Kate Ashbrook, our general secretary, at the event, organised by the Brent River and Canal Society (BRCS), to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Brent River Park’s…
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We help to secure new common land at Yateley, Hampshire
We have welcomed a decision to take new land into Yateley Common at Cottage Farm. Paul Freer, BA (Hons) LLM PhD MRTPI, a Planning Inspectorate inspector, granted the application of Falcon Propco4 Ltd (the owner of Blackbushe aerodrome) to deregister just over 14 hectares of aerodrome common land, and designate about the same area of…
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