Posts Tagged ‘commons’
150th Anniversary of Act Ending Inclosures of Common Land
Today, the 11th of August 2026, is the 150th anniversary of the Commons Act 1876, the Act which spelt the death knell for the parliamentary inclosure of common land in England and Wales. Our friends at the Open Spaces Society reflect on the positive impact that this has had for public access to green spaces.…
Read MoreTime to Complete Unfinished Business on Commons
The Open Spaces Society, Britain’s oldest national conservation body and leading champion for the protection of common land and village greens, marks the twentieth anniversary of the Commons Act 2006 by urging the government to complete the job this landmark legislation began for protecting these vital green areas. The Commons Act 2006 won royal assent…
Read MoreNext Prime Minister must Act for Access
Friends of the DPA, the Open Spaces Society, have publicly called for the next Prime Minister to act for public access as a matter of urgency. ‘Nearly every other Labour Prime Minister has overseen important new laws which improved public access. We have had the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 (Clement…
Read MoreCentenary of Open Spaces Law
The 1st of January 2026 marks the centenary of landmark legislation which, for the first time, created a right to walk and ride on significant areas of common land in town and country. This law was largely thanks to our friends the Open Spaces Society (then the Commons and Footpaths Preservation Society), Britain’s leading campaigning…
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