Common land
Common land is generally open and unfenced land. It is owned either privately or by an organisation such as local or parish council or the National Trust.
A right to roam usually applies to this land, meaning it can be used use for certain activities like walking and climbing. Some common land has different rights, and so may be used for other activities, for example, horse riding.
Town and village greens
Town and village greens are available for public use for sports and recreation, for example, playing football and dog walking, and so a right to roam is not required.
Many greens are owned and maintained by local or parish council, whilst others are privately owned. If a green is privately owned it can still be used for recreational activities.
Register of common land, town and village greens
The register is a record of all the common land, town and village greens within the Leeds Metropolitan District. The full register is open for inspection and you will need to make an appointment to view it; please email LandPSS@leeds.gov.uk. There is no charge for this service.
You can also apply for an official search of the register using the Con29 form. The form will be available from your solicitor. For more information and details of fees, see the local authority property searches page.
Each entry in the register will give you the following information:
- A description of the land.
- Who has rights to use it, and what those rights are.
- Who owned it when it was first registered.
Applications to register a town or village green
Provided the right to apply has not been excluded you can apply to register a new town or village green under Section 15(1) of the Commons Act 2006. The land must have been used for at least 20 years by local people for lawful activities without permission, forcing entry or secrecy.
Please email PROW@leeds.gov.uk if you have any queries or want a copy of the application form, fees and guidance notes.
You can also apply to make a correction to the register if a piece of land has been registered by mistake.
Landowner statements
From 1 October 2013, the law has been amended to enable a landowner to deposit a landowner statement. This means people can only use the land with permission and brings an end to any use ‘as of right’ over the land to which the statement relates. These statements are available to view in the register of landowner statements.
Please email PROW@leeds.gov.uk if you want to make a landowner statement.
Current town or village green applications
Sunnybank Lane Recreation Ground, BD3 7DG
Notice of publication of village green application ‘Sunnybank Lane Recreation Ground’, situated off Sunnybank Lane, Thornbury, BD3 7DG
(Reference A76/JL/VG218)
1. On 24 June 2019 an application was submitted to Leeds City Council, in its role as Commons Registration Authority, for registration of the above site as a town or village green pursuant to Section 15 of the Commons Act 2006.
2. On 18 September 2020 Leeds City Council, acting in its role as Commons Registration Authority, publicised the applications and served it on persons with an interest in the site who are affected by the application, or may be likely to wish to object to the application.
3. A notice of publication dated 18 September 2020 publicising the application, has been posted in various locations around the application site, and also advertised in the Yorkshire Post.
4. A copy of the the application together with the plan showing the original application site may be inspected below.
5. Following an objection made by the land owner, members of South and West Plans Panel agreed the appointment of an independent inspector to undertake a review of the evidence and confirm the appropriate next steps.
6. An inspector was, therefore, appointed to review the evidence submitted by both the applicant and objector. The inspector concluded that only plot 6 of the original application site was potentially compatible with village green registration status. On this basis the applicant amended the application to cover plot 6 only.
7. The inspector has advised that a non-statutory public inquiry should be held, so that the amended application and the evidence examined can be tested and a recommendation thereafter made to the council as to whether village green registration should take place.
8. A date for the public inquiry has not yet been set, though the expectation is for it to be held during the first part of 2026.
Commons Act 2006 – Section 15(1). Notice of application for registration of land as a town or village green
To every reputed owner, lessee, tenant or occupier of any part of the area of land described below, and to all others whom it may concern.
Application has been made to Leeds City Council of Civic Hall Leeds LS1 1UR as Registration Authority by Sunnybank and Woodhall Fields Community Action Group, care of 37 Sunnybank Lane, Thornbury, BD3 7DG, under section 15(1) of the Commons Act 2006 and in accordance with the Commons (Registration of Town or Village Greens) (Interim Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2007.
The application seeks the inclusion in the register of town and village greens of the land described in the Schedule below which is claimed to have qualified for registration as a town or village green on 24 June 2019 by virtue of the use of the land for a period in excess of twenty years by a significant number of the inhabitants of the locality who have indulged in lawful sports and pastimes as of right.
The application, which includes a plan of the land proposed for registration, may be inspected on the Leeds City Council website or by emailing legal.development@leeds.gov.uk.
If the registration authority is satisfied that the land described below has become a town or village green, it will so register the land.
Any person wishing to object to the registration of the land as a town or village green should send a statement of the facts on which the objection is based to Joel Levine, Legal Services, Leeds City Council, Civic Hall, Leeds LS1 1UR on or before 9 November 2020, quoting reference A76/JL/VG218.
Any representations that are to be taken into account by the Registration Authority in reaching a decision on the application cannot be treated as confidential and will be copied to the applicant for comments and may be disclosed to other interested parties.
Dated this 18 day of September 2020.
Leeds City Council, Civic Hall, Leeds, LS1 1UR.
Land known as ‘Sunnybank Lane Recreation Ground’, situated off Sunnybank Lane, Thornbury, BD3 7DG.
Land at rear of Gledhow Lane, LS7
Notice of publication of village green application 'land at rear of Gledhow Lane, LS7'
(Reference A76/JL/VG219)
1. On 25 September 2023 an application was submitted to Leeds City Council, in its role as Commons Registration Authority, for registration of the above site as a town or village green pursuant to Section 15 of the Commons Act 2006.
2. On 12 December 2025 Leeds City Council, acting in its role as Commons Registration Authority, publicised the application in various locations adjacent to the site and also advertised in the Yorkshire Post.
3. A copy of the application together with the plan showing the application site may be inspected below or in person by appointment at Civic Hall, Portland Crescent, Leeds, LS1 1UR.
