TCHCC – PART 95

The Battle for Broxhead Common

Broxhead Common near southern end BW46

The Case for Hampshire County Council – PART 95

1. By 1978 the legal proceedings induced by Mr Whitfield had rumbled on for 15 years. In the circumstances described, it is not therefore, unreasonable to wonder if some of the officers dealing with the commons registration in Hampshire County Council had come to feel pressurised by someone of wealth not only claiming ownership of Broxhead Common but Lord of the Manor as well. It may not have occurred to them to question either of those concepts?
2. On 28th January 1980 a letter from John Ellis had been published in the local Herald on behalf of the Broxhead Commoners Association. He said he wished to correct any misunderstanding connected with Mr P. Whitfield’s quoted remarks to an article the previous week. They were to the effect that Mr Whitfield had spent £50,000 to turn Broxhead Common into a Nature Reserve! Setting the record straight, John says: “Mr Whitfield spent his money in an attempt to eliminate Commoners Rights over the East side of the common in order to turn it into valuable agricultural land. The Broxhead Commoners Association’s successful opposition to Mr Whitfield before the Chief Commons Commissioner in London and again at the Appeal Court (High Court) 1974/5 has enabled Hampshire County Council to preserve the Common in its natural state, and as a Nature Reserve.” However,
   1980 BCA INTERESTING LETTER23012016
3. 21/4/1983 the Minutes of Lindford Parish Council record that
   The District Council proposed to build 158 houses in Lindford. This required at least 5 acres of playing fields to enable it, so Cllr K. Jones reminded the meeting that the Chief Planning Officer, had suggested that the playing fields at Broxhead Common went some way towards meeting the village needs in this direction. He said that in 1971 the Lindford Cricket Club had asked for the use of the land at Broxhead Common East as the owner would not be allowed to use it for agricultural purposes!!
   1983 Lindford PC Minutes
4. So perhaps it is not facetious to wonder if this is what had brought about the unexpected ‘about turn’ by Hampshire County Council after which Mr Whitfield’s ‘cause’ had ultimately succeeded?

Broxhead Common Playing fields for Lindford at Broxhead Common

Next time: Hampshire County Council explains!