A DECISION to register common land on the north coast of Cornwall has been welcomed by the Open Spaces Society.

Two applications to register the land were granted on 170 acres of grass and scrub land stretching between Porthtowan Beach and and Newdowns Head.

The applications on the National Trust owned land, which had been subject to a failed application in 1970, was made by the Open Spaces Society and Tomas Hill, an individual with a ‘keen interest in common land’

A spokesperson for the Open Spaces Society said: “The Open Spaces Society welcomes Cornwall Council’s decision to grant two applications to register common land on the north coast of Cornwall. One of the applications was made by the society and the other by Tomas Hill who has a keen interest in common land.

“The land, which is owned by the National Trust, comprises just over 170 hectares of grass and scrub stretching from Newdowns Head all the way round the coast to just north of Porthtowan beach, about two kilometres west of St Agnes.

“In 1970, the Ramblers’ Association made an application to register the land as common. Following objections, it was agreed among the parties to cancel the provisional registration of the land, but there was no opportunity for wider public engagement.

“However, part one of the Commons Act 2006(3) reopened the opportunity to rescue lost commons which were excluded from registration in these circumstances. Under paragraph four of schedule two of the 2006 Act the land became eligible for re-registration.

“The applications made by the society and Tomas Hill showed that the land remains waste land of a manor, so that once again it can be registered as common land—this time for good.

Frances Kerner, the Open Spaces Society’s commons re-registration officer, added: “While the land is already afforded the protection of ownership by the National Trust, registration as common confers an additional layer of protection. We thank the National Trust for recognising that the land meets the criteria for registration; this has enabled the unsatisfactory outcome of over 40 years ago to be put right.”