Common land, town and village greens

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, e.g. 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 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

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 Notice, dated 18 September 2020, the application dated 24 June 2019, and a plan showing the application site may be inspected below.
5. The application is supported by 24 witness statements, photographic evidence and a petition, which may be viewed by emailing a request to legal.development@leeds.gov.uk.
6. Any person wishing to object to the registration of the Site as a Town or Village Green should send a signed statement of the facts on which the objection is based, addressed to Development Team, Legal Services, Leeds City Council, Civic Hall, Leeds LS1 1UR by Monday 9 November 2020.
7. Any representations that are to be taken into account by the Commons 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.
   
8. Members of South and West Plans Panel have agreed the appointment of an independent inspector to undertake a review of the evidence and confirm the appropriate next steps.