The Open Spaces Society has welcomed the decision of the planning inspectorate to grant the society’s application to register as common land approximately 1.25 hectares of waste in the St Breward parish. 

The land is situated about a kilometre north-east of the village of St Breward and is sandwiched between two parcels of existing registered common land.  The land comprises ferns, bushy undergrowth and a few trees.

A spokesperson said: “In 1968, the land was provisionally registered under the Commons Registration Act 1965, together with other parcels of land, but was subject to objections.  Following a hearing held by a commons commissioner, the parties present at the hearing agreed to exclude the land in question from final registration.

“However, the Commons Act 2006 provided an opportunity to rescue lost commons which were excluded under these circumstances.  Under paragraph 4 of schedule 2 to the Commons Act 2006(3) the land became eligible for re-registration.  

“The application made by the society provided evidence that the land is waste land of a manor, which means that it can be registered as common land.”

Frances Kerner, the Open Spaces Society’s commons re-registration officer, added: “This is an example of a provisional registration of common land made under the 1965 Act being cancelled without full consideration given to the merits of and challenges to the application.  

“We recognise the owners’ attachment to and management of the land, and we are pleased that it now has the added protection of registration under the Commons Act 2006.”