Village greens

Land registered as a village green is significantly protected from development. If your community has an area that you use for sporting activities, or other pastimes, then registering it as a village green may ensure it stays that way.

A village green is legally defined as an area where people in the community have enjoyed legitimate sports or pastimes for at least twenty years. ‘Legitimate sports or pastimes’ include things like:

• cricket matches
• blackberry picking
• dog walking
• village fetes.

Claiming a new village green

To register a new village green you must prove that:

• the land is mainly used by local residents (rather than, say, day trippers)
• it is used for legal activities
• it has been used for at least twenty years
• people haven’t forced their way onto the land or used it in secrecy
• it has been used without the permission of the landowner.

If the land you wish to register as a village green is close to the county border or to Brighton & Hove, other local authorities may be responsible for dealing with your application. To check which local authority is responsible, please contact ESCC Legal Services (see below).

How to apply

If you wish to register land as a village green, please first visit the DEFRA website: DEFRA – town and village greens.

There, you will find guidance notes and an application form to download – the Town and Village Green Registration Application form.

Send the completed form to ESCC Legal Services (see below).

You also will need to supply:

• a map showing the boundaries of the proposed village green
• evidence forms or letters of support from residents saying when and how they use this land
• a map outlining the area that local users of the land come from
• a completed Statutory Declaration (this is included in the form), witnessed by a solicitor or magistrate.

Once we receive your application, it is publicised and a period for people to comment on the application is opened. It may be necessary for a planning inspector to hold a hearing to determine your application. The inspector will then recommend whether or not the land should be registered as a village green.

An elected councillor with special responsibility for these applications has the final say about whether or not village green status is granted. The planning inspector’s report is sent to this councillor (known as the ‘Lead Member for Strategic Management and Economic Regeneration'), who then writes to all parties concerned to confirm the final decision.

Contact us

ESCC Legal Services