Village green plans recommended for refusal

People in Rosgill want an area of land to be designated as a village green

Plans to turn an area of land into a village green are being recommended for refusal.

People in Rosgill near Shap in Cumbria were hoping to get a triangle of land registered as a designated village green.

But after a public inquiry, planning inspector Alan Evans said there hadn't been "sufficient use of the land by the community for sports and pastimes" over the last 20 years to warrant a change of use.

Members of Eden local area planning committee for Westmorland and Furness Council will consider the application on Wednesday at Penrith Town Hall.

Nicholas Lindwall applied to register the land next to Abbot House as a village green in 2021 saying it had been used since "time immemorial" as a place for social interaction and leisure, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Mr Lindwall said: “The villagers have maintained the area for many years by cutting the vegetation when necessary, potholing the tracks, and made some introductions of plants.

“Although this is a small area of land, including the three tracks which are now designated bridleways, it is of special importance to the village of Rosgill and the surrounding neighbourhood.”

However, the application faced opposition from the owners of Abbot House and others.

According to the inspector’s report, opponents to the plans said the activities consisting of walking, dog walking, running, cycling and horse riding were referring to the use of the bridleway and "perhaps deviation" from it on occasion.

The government say village greens can be used for sports and recreation, for example playing football or walking your dog and village green status prevents development taking place on the land.

In his report, Mr Evans said: “The scope for undertaking these activities on the land itself was very limited given its size and configuration and it was not in itself a location which would be used for such purposes.”