Common land and village green register

What is 'common land'?

In general terms, 'common land' is land owned by one person over which another person is entitled to exercise 'rights of common' (such as grazing animals or cutting bracken for livestock bedding), and these rights can generally be exercised in common with others.

What are 'town and village greens'?

'Town and village greens'are usually areas of land within defined settlements or geographical areas which local inhabitants can go onto 'for the exercise of lawful sports and pastimes', such as games, picnics, fêtes and other similar activities.

While land forming town and village greens may be privately owned, many greens are owned and maintained by local councils. Some greens may also have 'rights of common', such as grazing of livestock over them.

Are there registers of Common Land and Town and Village Greens for Derby?

The Council is a Commons Registration Authority and has a responsibility under the Commons Act 2006 to maintain and keep up-to-date the register of common land and of town and village greens in Derby.

There is a town and village greens register for the Derby city area. There is no registered common land in the city.

There are three town and village greens in Derby:

• one was registered under the Commons Registration Act 1965
• one was registered under the Commons Act 2006
• one was self-registered under the Commons Act 2006.

Contact us to view the register.

Contact Derbyshire County Council for the registers for Derbyshire. 

How do I make an application for common land, town and village greens in Derby?

If you consider that an area of open space is a town or village green,  download theDepartment for Environment Food and Rural guidance notes that outline the qualifying criteria and tests for registration of an application.

After you have read the guidance notes, download, fill in and return application form E44

We recommend that you ask people who support your application to fill in a public evidence form. You should then return your completed application, along with the public evidence forms, to the Council to consider.

Applications determined since the Commons Act 2006 for Common Land, Town and Village Greens in Derby

Application to register land as a town or village green at the site of the former Sturgess School, Kedleston Road, and known as Sturgess Fields, Derby

• Ref: DER/VG/4
• Applicant: Patrick Browne
• Submitted: 9 January 2008
• Determined: 21 October 2010
• Decision: Accept part of site

Download the report of the Director of Planning and Transportation, Derby City Council, containing the report of independent inquiry inspector Miss Lana Wood (Appendix 6).

Application to register land as a town or village green at Wilson Street, Derby

• Ref: DER/VG/1
• Applicant: Mr C Underhill
• Submitted: 5 April 2007
• Determined: 27 May 2008
• Decision: Reject application

Download the:

• report of the Assistant Director - Regeneration, Derby City Council
• report of independent inquiry inspector Miss Lana Wood
• summary of the key points in the report of Miss Lana Wood

Application to register land as a town or village green at Ainley Close, Alvaston, Derby

• Ref: DER/VG/2
• Applicant: John Hulse
• Submitted: 15 October 2007
• Determined: 19 March 2009
• Decision: Reject application

Download the report of the Assistant Director - Regeneration, Derby City Council .

Application to register land as a town or village green at Corden Avenue, Mickleover, Derby 

• Ref: DER/VG/5
• Applicants: Simon Telford, Janette Jackson and Anthony Hueck
• Submitted: 10 June 2008
• Determined: 19 March 2009
• Decision: Reject application

Download the report of the the report of the Assistant Director - Regeneration, Derby City Council .

You can also view current and determined applications at our offices.

Find out more information on common land, town and village greens from:

• the Open Spaces Society 
• the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs.

Useful forms

• Contact us about Common land and village greens