As the commons registration authority, we maintain the register of common land and village greens in Essex. The register lists information about each common land or village green 'unit' including:
- a description of the land and its boundaries
- who has rights to use it and what these rights are
- who owns it – or who owned it when it was first registered
Apply for a copy of the register
We can provide a copy of the register for a particular village green or common land unit for a fee of £25. However, we require the unit number to process the request.
If the unit number is not known, you should contact your local borough or district council and ask for their Land Charges department to find out how to make an appropriate search. They will advise on the forms and fees required. Common Land and Town and Village Green searches are dealt with under Con29 Question 22 (Optional Enquiries of the Local Authority).
To request a copy of the register, please contact us using the details below. The fee of £25 should be paid by cheque. Cheques should be made out to Essex County Council.
Contact the Environmental Law and Property Team
Telephone: 0333 013 2305
Email: Environmental.TeamDuty@essex.gov.uk
Address:
Essex Legal Services Seax House Victoria Road South Chelmsford CM1 1QH
View the register in person
If you’d like to check the register of common land and village greens in person, you can make an appointment with us to do so. This is free of charge and can be done between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Friday. Please request an appointment using the Environmental Law and Property Team contact details above.
Amend the register
You can apply to amend the register of common land and village greens. Depending on the amendment, a fee may be charged.
To find out how to apply, see the government's Common land: guidance for commons registration authorities and applicants. This includes guidance for members of the public wishing to apply to make changes.
Fees
| Purpose of application | Application fee | Provision the application is made under |
|---|---|---|
| Removing or transferring common land and town or village green to other land given in exchange as a result of a statutory disposition (relating to section 14 of the 2006 Act) | £300 | Schedule 4, paragraph 8 |
| Change the area of common land or a town or village green if a water body changes it | £200 | Section 19 (e) of the 2006 Act |
| Deregister "other land" wrongly registered as common land or as a town or village green | £1,000 | Schedule 2, paragraph 7 and 9 |
| Statutory disposition, including the exchange of land for land subject to a statutory disposition | £360 | Schedule 3, paragraph 2 or 4, to the 2006 Act |
Fees should accompany your application.
Where applications are referred to The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), DEFRA will charge an additional fee.
Register a village green
See the government's guidance on how to apply to register a village green.
Public notices
| Address of land | Summary of notice | Provision the application is made under | Application reference | Closing date for objections |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chipping Hill Green, Witham common land 163 (PDF, 338.15 KB) | application to deregister land registered as common land | commons act 2007 - schedule 2, paragraph 7 | CA01 | 10 March 2024 |
More information
You may also be interested in:
- the government's Common land and village greens guidance, which explains the rules around using common land and village greens
- the Open Spaces Society – a charity that exists to protect open spaces for all to enjoy
- Natural England, which has guidance on land access and rights of way
- the Land Registry, which registers ownership of land and property in England and Wales