Consultation on the registration of new town or village greens

Defra is consulting on proposals to reform the system for registering new town or village greens under section 15 of the Commons Act 2006.   Around 185 applications were made in 2009 to register new greens.  The volume of applications to register new greens, the character of application sites, the controversy which such applications often attract, the cost of the determination process on the parties affected, and the impact of a successful registration on the landowner, are all giving rise to increasing concern.  The consultation will remain open until 17 October.

Applying to register land as a town or village green

Town and village greens developed under customary law as areas of land where local people indulged in lawful sports and pastimes. These might include organized or ad-hoc games, picnics, fetes and similar activities.  Most greens were registered in the late 1960s under the Commons Registration Act 1965. Today, anyone can apply under section 15 of the Commons Act 2006 to register land as a green if it has been used by local people for lawful sports and pastimes ‘as of right’ (ie without permission, force or secrecy) for at least 20 years.  Please see below for guidance on applications — but note that different rules apply in the pioneer areas of Devon, Kent (but not including unitary authorities in these first two counties), Cornwall, Hertfordshire, Herefordshire, Lancashire (but not Blackpool), and Blackburn with Darwen, and if your application relates to land in one of these areas, you should go to the guidance in the following section, Pilot implementation areas.

• Please see our factsheet (PDF 40 KB) on the registration of new town or village greens.
• Town and Village Green Registration Application form 44 (PDF 40 KB)
• Guidance Notes for the completion of an Application for the Registration of land as a Town or Village Green (PDF 310 KB) (revised September 2010)
• The Commons (Registration of Town or Village Greens) (Interim Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2007
• Guidance on voluntary registration of land as a town or village green (PDF 80 KB)

Pilot implementation areas

In relation to the pilot implementation areas for Part 1 of the Commons Act 2006 [Devon, Kent (but not including unitary authorities in these first two counties), Cornwall, Hertfordshire, Herefordshire, Lancashire (but not Blackpool), and Blackburn with Darwen], the procedures, forms and guidance for applications under section 15 have been revised, and are now contained in the Guidance to Applicants in the pilot implementation areas – you should not use the guidance nor the form below for applications in the pilot implementation areas.

Management and protection of registered town and village greens

Defra has published a guidance note (PDF 120 KB) which answers some of the questions which we most frequently get asked in relation to the management and protection of town and village greens.

Study of town and village greens registration system

In March 2009 Defra commissioned the Countryside and Community Research Institute to undertake a research study to examine the land type and use of a sample of sites claimed in recent applications to register new greens, as well as whether those sites were earmarked for development and, where applicable, the reasons for the failure of the applications.

Registration of new greens: 2009 survey

In late 2009 Defra undertook a repeat survey (PDF 50 KB) of commons registration authorities in England to establish the level of registration activity. Just under half (43%) of authorities responded. The data is considered to be reasonably representative of all authorities in England and the results have been scaled-up to estimate the activity throughout England.

Town and Village Green Research Project – 2006

A research project on town and village greens (PDF 2.5 MB), carried out by ADAS UK Ltd, which sought to improve the practical evidence base on greens.

Database of registered town or village greens

A database of registered town or village greens in England (PDF 690 KB) is available.  The data were gathered by the University of Aberystwyth in connection with (but not as part of) the biological survey of common land. Note the data were gathered in the late 1980s, and are not updated.

Adverse possession on town or village greens

Defra has published a guidance note on the extent to which adverse possession can be claimed over land registered as common land or town or village green, and the consequences of a successful claim. The guidance note should be read with guidance published by HM Land Registry on registering title to land through adverse possession.