For many people, the village green is somewhere to play games, drink warm beer, and organise jam-making competitions.
For those in the commercial property industry, this type of open space can pose a headache, specifically when trying to grasp associated land registration laws, described as ‘notoriously complex’ by the government.
Attempting to simplify matters, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has launched a consultation to find out ‘whether the registration system can strike a better balance between protecting quality green spaces valued by local people and securing the new homes, jobs and essential infrastructure the country needs’.
Once a registration is made on a village green, commercial property developers are unable to proceed with any development proposals, even if planning permission or allocation in a local plan has been awarded.
DEFRA has concerns that previous registrations have been made ‘to hinder legitimate development’ of civic and commercial property projects.
This is a view echoed by the British Property Federation (BPF), a membership organisation that represents the interests of property owners and investors. Chief executive Liz Peace is keen to see the ‘burden’ of ‘nominations purely aimed at blocking development’ looked at, pointing out that it costs nothing to nominate a piece of land as a village green but can prove very ‘costly and time consuming’ for commercial property developers who wish to build on this land.
The BPF also cautioned against a ‘muddled approach’ to the consultation. Reports are emerging that the government is drafting guidelines allowing local residents to designate ‘green space’ areas in their neighbourhoods.
Granting local communities the power to earmark land in this way risks contradicting the ‘decision to consult on trying to reduce vexatious village green nominations’, says the BPF, advising it ‘may stifle development and economic growth’.
Commercial property developers and other interested parties have until 17 October to submit their views on the consultation.
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