Powys County Council Addresses Land De-registration Issue

In a significant event held recently, Powys County Council’s Planning, Taxi Licensing and Rights of Way committee convened to consider an application from Mr. and Mrs. Griffiths. The application sought to de-register a 62-acre land parcel called Fawnog Tanybryn, located towards the southeast of Llanfair Caereinion, from the commons register. Our sources reveal that the Griffiths presented a compelling case, arguing that the land’s common status from 1968 was an error.

Land Never Served As Common: The Griffiths

The Griffiths put forth a robust argument that the land had never been used as a common land. To substantiate their claim, they marshaled an array of evidence, including land registry and tithe maps, correspondence from the town council, conveyancing documents, and census records reaching as far back as 1841. Claire Lewis, the registration and definitive maps officer, while analysing the evidence, found that the land’s common status was uncontested back in 1968. However, a letter dating back to 1972 suggested a misunderstanding about the specific area intended for registration.

Open Spaces Society Finds No Grounds To Oppose

The Open Spaces Society, a major stakeholder in the matter, had no objections to the de-registration of the land. They found that the request satisfied all the legal criteria for de-registration. Notably, the conveyances from 1869 lacked any mention of the land being common, further strengthening the Griffiths’ case.

Final Decision by the Committee

The Powys County Council Committee, after careful consideration of the evidence and the legal criteria, unanimously agreed on de-registering the land. They concurred with the officer’s recommendation, marking a pivotal moment in the land’s history. However, Councillor Gareth D Jones, the representative for Llanfair Caereinion, recused himself from the voting process due to his involvement in the matter.

• Recent meeting held by the Planning, Taxi Licensing and Rights of Way committee
• Griffiths’ application for de-registering Fawnog Tanybryn from the commons
• Presentation of evidence to prove the land was not ‘common’
• Open Spaces Society’s lack of opposition towards the de-registration
• Committee’s unanimous decision in favor of de-registration