Victory for Open Spaces Society as land in Berkhamsted is protected from development

This will protect a further part of this historic common from development
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The Open Spaces Society is delighted that Hertfordshire County Council has added a piece of Berkhamsted Common to the common-land register - protecting a further part of the historic common from development.

The land, which is north of Britwell Drive, near Berkhamsted Golf Club, was subject to a deed of declaration, under section 193 of the Law of Property Act 1925, made by the Berkhamsted Golf Club Trustees in December 1934. This gave the public a right to walk and ride here.

The newly registered land was overlooked when Berkhamsted Common was first entered into the Hertfordshire commons register. However, land covered by a deed of declaration now meets the criteria for commons registration (under schedule 2, paragraph 2 of the Commons Act 2006).

The newly-registered common at BerkhamstedThe newly-registered common at Berkhamsted
The newly-registered common at Berkhamsted

This enabled the Open Spaces Society to submit an application to secure the land’s status for the future.

Richard Sanders, from the Open Spaces Society, said: "This is a success both for the Open Spaces Society and the people of Berkhamsted.

"The common is a popular area of green open space and forms a distinctive part of the local landscape.

"The common is at the heart of the Open Spaces Society’s history: the “Battle of Berkhamsted” in 1866 was one of our early victories, when we organised a trainload of men to tear down unlawful fences in the middle of the night."