Category Archives: Growth and Infrastructure Act

A rare chance to thank a judge

Posted on 31/10/2019 by campaignerkate

I had the rare opportunity to thank a judge, Lord Hoffmann, for his many ground-breaking judgments on public paths and village greens. Continue reading →

Posted in Access, campaigns, Growth and Infrastructure Act, Open Spaces Society, Public paths, Ramblers, town and village greens | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

One hundred Opinions

Posted on 03/03/2019 by campaignerkate

In the autumn 2018 issue of Open Space magazine I wrote my 100th Opinion article. Continue reading →

Posted in Access, commons, green spaces, Growth and Infrastructure Act, National parks, Natural England, open spaces, Open Spaces Society, Parks, Public paths, riding, town and village greens, walking | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The law’s delay

Posted on 04/03/2016 by campaignerkate

Two cases in the courts put the law right for the public for claiming paths and greens, after a long delay. Continue reading →

Posted in Access, green spaces, Growth and Infrastructure Act, Public paths, Ramblers, town and village greens | 1 Comment

Don’t waste our time

Posted on 16/02/2016 by campaignerkate

The Guardian needs to make clear when online articles are not in the paper so we don’t waste time writing letters for publication about them. Continue reading →

Posted in Access, green spaces, Growth and Infrastructure Act, Open Spaces Society, town and village greens | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bypass surgery—a week of political theatre

Posted on 27/11/2014 by campaignerkate

Thirty years ago today, 27 November 1984, I breathed a huge sigh of relief.  It was the end of a frantic seven days.  For, as I wrote in the Open Spaces Society’s magazine Open Space (spring 1985), ‘in an unprecedented series … Continue reading →

Posted in Access, Dartmoor, Growth and Infrastructure Act, National parks, Open Spaces Society, parliament, Ramblers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Welsh Government tugs its forelock to developers

Posted on 07/10/2014 by campaignerkate

Wales wants to be different from England—but only when it suits it.  When it comes to allowing developers to destroy green space, Wales is only too happy to copy England’s laws. Yesterday the Welsh Government published its Planning Bill which … Continue reading →

Posted in Growth and Infrastructure Act, Open Spaces Society, town and village greens, Wales | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Leading us up the garden path

Posted on 02/07/2014 by campaignerkate

Yet again we find that this government has acted on prejudice not evidence. When the Growth and Infrastructure Bill was going through parliament, ministers claimed that the number of applications for village greens was increasing and that people were abusing the … Continue reading →

Posted in Defra, green spaces, Growth and Infrastructure Act, Open Spaces Society, planning, town and village greens | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Red light for green spaces

Posted on 22/11/2013 by campaignerkate

Wildlife and Countryside Link’s report Nature Check is not just about nature. It is an analysis of progress, or lack of, on the government’s 25 promises for the natural environment, which include public access and open spaces for people. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Access, green spaces, Growth and Infrastructure Act, open spaces, Open Spaces Society, town and village greens | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Washed away by the tide

Posted on 14/11/2013 by campaignerkate

The planning minister Nick Boles, who was responsible for the nasty attack on village greens in the Growth and Infrastructure Act, has claimed that his planning reforms are making the world ‘a better place’. That’s news to me. According to … Continue reading →

Posted in Growth and Infrastructure Act, open spaces, planning, town and village greens | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Benyon: been there, done that

Posted on 09/10/2013 by campaignerkate

Last Monday (7 October) I was interviewed on Radio 4 You and Yours about the  new regulations which make it even harder for people to register land as greens (listen here). Defra was claiming that the number of village green … Continue reading →

Posted in Access, Coastal access, common land, Defra, green spaces, Growth and Infrastructure Act, Natural England, parliament, Public paths, town and village greens, walking | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments