Dacorum BC Tried, and Failed, to Turn Common Land in Bovingdon into a Car Park
You might expect a local council to try to conserve what remains of Britain's common land. Unfortunately Dacorum Borough Council (DBC) decided last October to sacrifice a broad strip of an amenity green in Bovingdon High Street to the needs of the motor car. They were proposing to develop 140 square metres as 6 hard surfaced, car parking bays. However it turned out also to be a remnant of common land. This meant that DBC was required, under Section 38 of the Commons Act 2006, to apply for consent from the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Natural England (an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the DEFRA), a number of local people and the Open Spaces Society objected. The grounds for objection were that the use of a common for car-parking was inconsistent with its enjoyment by the public, as the bays would reduce the area for public recreation and would have an urbanising effect. The Inspector appointed to decide on the issue rejected the application saying
