Local councils encouraged to register open spaces
Areas in Bucks, Beds and Herts could be saved from planning and development
Councils in Bucks, Beds and Herts are being encouraged to register open spaces.
The Open Space Society, Britain's oldest national conservation body, is launching a campaign to protect local spaces.
Grant A Green wants local councils in England and Wales to voluntarily register their open spaces as town or village greens.
This will protect the space from development and allow locals to enjoy the spot.
The society explained not only have the restrictions on movement meant that people have discovered that their local open spaces, but hat those spaces are under unprecedented threat.
Kate Ashbrook is General Secretary of OSS:
"A landowner who wants to do good to the public can register an area, once registered as a green its protected forever and local people have rights.
"We are really looking at Parish and Town councils as they likely have access to these areas and can set an example.
"People living near open spaces may think they are safe forever, but if they are not protected they local council may not be able to help.
"So, if its in the register its safe from everything except compulsory purchase.
"People need to be looking at the spaces in their local area and find the ones that are owned by council and see if they're registered because all bits of land are important."
There is a guide to voluntary registration on the society's website and there is no charge for applications, which are made to county or unitary councils' commons registration departments under section 15(8) of the Commons Act 2006.