Wild Land News no 67, Autumn 2006

Common Land Issues Article

Issues over land ownership, land reform and communal ownership are restricted solely to rural and wild areas. The leading expert, Andy Wightman has produced a report showing that in many urban areas, 'common good' has been wrongly expropriated, often by local authorities. Common good land is owned historically by the taxpayers and often managed by local authorities. Over time some authorities have acted as if the land is theirs to deal with as they see fit.

One common thread is the lack of clear, open information on land ownership hinders the best use of land for the good of the community.