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The whole plan area is accessible to the public, and most of it is available for commoners to exercise rights to graze livestock. In both cases, certain activities are regulated to avoid conflict with the G&CC Act, in particular section 8 which requires WBC and the Commission to “restore and conserve the Common as a peaceful place of natural beauty and, in particular, conserves its flora and fauna and ecological, archeological, geological and physiographical features”.

This regulation is embodied as a set of bylaws concerning public access to, and behaviour on, the commons and a set of regulations governing livestock grazing. The bylaws and the grazing regulations can be accessed via the Appendices section, but a brief explanation is given below.

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Bylaws

The commons should remain a peaceful place accessible to the public for unobtrusive recreation in ways which do not detract from the enjoyment of others.

The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 establishes a general right of public access to “access land”, but also lists (in Schedule 2) certain activities and circumstances which cause a person to forfeit that right.

For historical reasons, Crookham Common is access land but Greenham Common is not. However, WBC policy is to treat the entire plan area as access land. Therefore WBC have, with the agreement of the G&CC Commission, adopted CROW schedule 2 as bylaws applying over the plan area. Three extra bylaws, beyond those provided by CROW, have been added to clarify the situation regarding dogs, vehicles and aircraft (including model aircraft) on the commons.

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Grazing regulations

These regulations address issues of animal welfare and good husbandry, public safety, and the effects of grazing on the ecosystem of the commons. They were drafted in 2005 by the Grazing Committee of the G&CC Commission, and adopted after consultation with all commoners and approval by WBC's portfolio member for Countryside and Environment and by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

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Other legislation

Management of the Common will be in accordance with:

• The Greenham and Crookham Commons Act 2002
• Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) notifications dated 1985 and 1994, covering parts of the plan area
• Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979
• (draft) Heritage Protection Bill (2008)
• Higher Level Stewardship agreement(s) between WBC and Natural England.
• The Berkshire Heathland Biodiversity Action Plan 1999-2005 (1998) BBONT
• Countryside and Rights of Way (CROW) Act 2000: Part 1 (Right of access) and Part 3 (Nature Conservation and Wildlife Protection)
• National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949
• Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
• Countryside Act 1968
• Protection of Badgers Act 1992
• Biodiversity: the UK Action Plan 1994
• National and Local (Berkshire) Habitat and Species Action Plans: Lowland heathland; Lowland dry acid grassland; Wet woodland.
• West Berkshire District Local Plan 1991 – 2006
• Greenham and Crookham Commons Grazing regulations
• Ragwort Control Act 2003
• Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006
• Disability Discrimination Act 1995

These documents can be located via the Appendices section.

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