Inclosure revived
Our general secretary, Kate Ashbrook, writes about the revival of the inclosure movement. A century and a half ago we thought the inclosures were coming to an end—about the time that the Open Spaces Society was formed. Indeed, I said as much in Japan recently to an international audience on commons, and commiserated with those…
Read MoreNew law could ban public from open spaces and paths
We have called on Peers to challenge provisions in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill which empower local authorities to restrict people’s use of public spaces in England. The Bill has its second reading in the House of Lords on 29 October. The Bill enables a local authority to make a Public Spaces Protection…
Read MoreFurther fencing allowed on Allendale Common, Northumberland
We are sorry that the Planning Inspectorate has approved two miles of fencing alongside the east side of the Allendale/Carrshield road in Northumberland, in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Such works need the consent of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under section 38 of the Commons Act…
Read MoreNo authority for alien hedge on Hertfordshire common
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has refused consent to Mr James Wright for a conifer hedge on registered common land at the former Old Chequers pub near Flamstead in Hertfordshire. The society and Flamstead Parish Council were among the nine objectors to the application for works on common land, under…
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Henley Festival’s u-turn shows contempt for international footpath
We have condemned Henley Festival’s u-turn on its location which is likely to result in the continued closure of the Thames Path National Trail during the festival in July. The Festival had been planning to move from the traditional Regatta site downstream to the Henley Business School. Now it has decided to remain on the…
Read MorePublic paths signposted in memory of Gloucestershire benefactor
The society and Gloucestershire Ramblers, working with the Gloucestershire County Council public rights of way team, are delighted that the county council is now making use of a 50-year-old fund for signposting footpaths around Cheltenham. The fund was established in 1959, on the death of Herbert Lucas Bradbury, a far-sighted Cheltenham benefactor. Mr Bradbury left…
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Village-green system not being increasingly abused: our response to Defra
We have responded robustly to Defra’s press release today (1 October), New measures to increase rural home-building. This is about the new regulations in England which have been introduced today to restrict applications to register land as a town or village green. Defra claims that the new measures will stop the village-green system from being…
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Norfolk Coast path risks being a subdued trail
The Norfolk coast path is at risk of being ‘a subdued trail that would miss out some of the most majestic stretches of our coastline’. So declares our Norfolk local correspondent, Ian Witham. Ian has commented on Natural England’s consultation for the stretch of coastal access, to be introduced under the Marine and Coastal Access…
Read MorePublic paths in parliament
The draft Deregulation Bill, which contains measures for public rights of way (clauses 12-18 and schedule 6), has been published for parliamentary pre-legislative scrutiny. The bill aims to streamline and speed up the procedures for claiming paths for the definitive map. It follows the recommendations of Natural England’s Stakeholder Working Group on unrecorded ways, published…
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We’re prepared for the fight to save the path to Morfa Beach
We have taken the next step in our campaign to save a vital public path to Morfa Beach near Margam on the South Wales coast. We have submitted our evidence to the forthcoming public inquiry into Neath Port Talbot’s Council’s plan to close the popular Longlands Lane, footpath 92, and to move a nearby path,…
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