Beauty-spot footpaths saved
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has ruled that two popular and well-used footpaths at the fifteenth-century Sudeley Castle, near Winchcombe in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, will remain public rights of way. Welcoming the decision, our local correspondent, Gerry Stewart, said, ‘We were delighted to support the many…
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We fight microlights in North Bucks countryside
We have objected to a planning application for retrospective consent to fly microlight aircraft from Bernwood Farm, Botolph Claydon, in north Buckinghamshire. Botolph Claydon and its surroundings are extremely tranquil and unspoilt, unusually so for Buckinghamshire. The microlight aircraft, which are being flown here unlawfully, without planning permission, destroy the peace of the area. In…
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Hardy heritage under threat
We have objected to a plan to move the historic footpath leading to the cottage where Thomas Hardy’s fictitious heroine, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, was born and brought up. Dorset County Council has received an application from the owner of Tess Cottage (formerly Barton Cottage) to move Marnhull footpath 25, which currently follows an historic…
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Englefield Green village green is saved
We are celebrating the decision by Helen Slade of the Planning Inspectorate, on behalf of the environment secretary, to refuse consent for works on Englefield Green village green in Surrey. The land is widely used by local people, and the inspector confirmed that the public have the right to enjoy the green for air and…
Read MorePath claimed at Brook, Surrey
A public footpath will be added to the official map of rights of way, thanks to the efforts of our local correspondent, Ralph Holmes. Ralph, who covers Waverley Borough in Surrey claimed a footpath on the Rockwood Estate, Brook, near Witley. The path runs from near West Lodge on Haslemere Road (the A286) to Parsonage…
Read MoreTen-point plan for candidates
We have published our ten-point plan for candidates in the general election, and have asked them to sign up to it. To see the names of those who have said they support it, in whole or part, click here. Action plan 1. A right of appeal, and a requirement to provide suitable alternative land, before public…
Read MoreNew package to rescue lost ways
We have welcomed the package of proposals to government from the Stakeholder Working Group on Unrecorded Public Rights of Way. The group, consisting of representatives of user groups, landowners and local authorities, was brought together by Natural England to find a solution to recording historic paths many of which have become lost. Its report, Stepping…
Read More‘Monumental’ Supreme Court judgment for new greens
We are delighted at today’s unanimous judgment from the Supreme Court(1) which orders Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council to register Coatham Common(2) as a village green.(3) The society backed local inhabitants in their bid to register the land. In order for land to be registered as a green, local people need to show that a…
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Norfolk gets results with enforcement on public paths
We have praised Norfolk County Council for taking enforcement action on public paths in the county. Last year the council served a notice on the landowner who had illegally blocked the public footpath which runs alongside Little Hautbois Hall, the £1.8-million Tudor mansion in the parish of Buxton with Lammas. The landowner gave in and…
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Oppressive fence to go
South Oxfordshire District Council has refused retrospective planning permission to a close-boarded fence, nearly two metres high, alongside the public footpath at Deanacre, off Deanfield Road in Henley-on-Thames. Mr Philip Turner, of 2 Deanacre applied to the council to legitimise the fence which was erected unlawfully, without planning permission, last year. It replaced a lower,…
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