Changes announced by Defra means it will no longer be possible to block local
development by making spurious village green applications. Loopholes in the system
have been abused by people looking to stop local development. As well as having a
negative effect on the rural economy and reducing the value of land – often by over 90%–
it reduced the availability of rural homes, facilities and hospitals across the
country.
From now on, applications relating to land which is regularly used for local
recreation will have to be made within a year of the land’s use, rather than two.
Similarly, landowners will be encouraged to allow local communities to make use of
their land, as they will be able to protect it being registered as a village green
through new landowner statements. Last April, the government took the first step in
reducing village green abuses, by closing a loophole that made it possible to submit
applications on land which had already been earmarked for development.
Further information at GOV.UK
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