A Defence Infrastructure Organisation spokesman said: “We are still awaiting the outcome” six months after the Minsitry of Defence's consultation process to have common land at Warcop, Murton and Hilton de-registered.
The Federation of Cumbria Commoners said the MoD should not be allowed to renege on an undertaking it made at a public inquiry in 2001 not to seek de-registration. At the time, military chiefs argued that the commoners’ right to graze sheep in the area was interfering with soldiers’ live-fire training. Although the MoD owned the freehold of the training ground, part of the ‘danger area’, in which ricochets fell, was common land. Following the inquiry in 2001 the MoD won its right to have livestock removed – but in return it was agreed that common grazing could resume when the area was no longer needed. The MoD now believe that a change in legislation under the Commons Act of 2006 rendered its original undertaking ‘no longer appropriate’.
The Federation of Cumbria Commoners, strongly opposes this move.
For more information read the article in The Westmorland Gazette http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/10147281.Warcop_grazing_righ...
