"Croxley Green, Hertfordshire... could acquire official village green status.
For the past three years... local people have been fighting to save the buddleia fields, and parts of the adjacent ancient woodland, from destruction by... London Underground (LU). In 1953, LU compulsorily purchased a 35-acre site along the canal as a tip for spoil, earth and stones resulting from railway operations. Some 20 years later, the tipping stopped, leaving a radically changed landscape and a habitat unique to the region - ripe for new fauna and flora. From the early 1980s, the site was overgrown and seemed almost abandoned by its owner. Local people began using it for leisure activities and access to the canal... in March 2004, LU dropped a bombshell with a planning application to turn most of the site into a railway repair depot. ... ... research showed that LU held an asbestos licence for the site and there were over 100 species of flora including the rare bee orchid... A rapid village green application to Hertfordshire county council... included more than 70 evidence forms proving that "for 20 years local people had followed lawful sports and pastimes" on the land "as of right"... they had used the land without force, stealth or secrecy, and without permission. With village green status, the land's future would be guaranteed in perpetuity. LU said the time taken to process the village green application would severely delay its track repair programme so it had to drop its depot plans... ... it is day three of the public inquiry into the Croxley Green application and barristers from both sides will lock horns over whether the buddleia fields may in future be built on or remain in their present natural state. Meanwhile, other groups seeking village green status are battling with developers, industry and sometimes local authorities... next month section 15 of the 2006 Commons Act kicks in, bringing yet more changes to the procedures covering village green status approval." article URL : http://society.guardian.co.uk/communities/story/0,,2032805,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=9 *********** Regards, VB _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [email protected] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
