Westfield Common
{{Short description|Common land in Woking, Surrey, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Westfield Common
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| photo = Right of Way across Westfield Common.jpg
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| map_caption = Location of Westfield Common in the UK
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| location = Woking, Surrey, England
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| coordinates = {{coord|51.292|N|0.560|W|display=inline,title}}
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| governing_body = [http://www.woking.gov.uk Woking Borough Council]
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Westfield Common is an area of land in Westfield, Woking that is registered common land.
Attributes
Westfield Common has boundaries that have been little reduced since 1719.[http://www.waterfalls.co.uk/AreaInfo/History/Surrounding/OldWoking.php A History of Old Woking] - external site
The common has been recognised by the local authority with a preliminary assessment by Natural England as a regionally important Site of Nature Conservation (SNCI).{{cite web|title=SNCI designation|url=http://www.woking.gov.uk/planning/policy/localplan/kingfield#environment|website=www.woking.gov.uk|publisher=Woking Borough Council|accessdate=10 February 2015}} as it supports nationally scarce plants in the chamomile family and in aquatic species for example populations of great crested newts in two ponds. It has species-rich areas of: wet woodland, drains and ponds.[http://www.woking.gov.uk/housing/policies/priorityhomes/swtmanplan2 SNCI designation] - Woking Borough Council
The Common gives its name to a residents association called the Westfield Common Residents Association (WCRA) open to all users of the common in the local authority.[http://www.westfieldcommon.org/ WCRA] - local residents' association website
Commons registration
Under the First Wilson ministry's Commons Registration Act 1965 (CRA), a task and duty was given to top level local authorities to log and register all Common Land within England & Wales to ensure continued protection for public benefit and to mitigate the effects of 19th century inclosure resulting in perennial court claims of ownership by the aristocracy and other landowners to pieces of common land, even where used as such by the common people of a parish. The common was registered with registration number is CL 121 at Surrey County Council. Under the CRA section 9, having unclear ownership, most of which was possessed in common by its users, the land became subject to the protection of the local authority (Woking Borough Council).[http://www.acraew.org.uk/uploads/Surrey/WESTFIELD%20COMMON%20-%20WOKING%20NO.CL.121.pdf Commons Registration Act Decision Letter dated 18 October 1997] - Association of Commons Registration Authorities[http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/pins/common_land/decision/westfield_common_decision_03_11_10.pdf Planning Inspectorate Decision Notice providing evidence of Registration Number] - Uk Government website There are no pinpointed common rights such as taking of grass, berries or grazing recorded in the official register.[http://www.westfieldcommon.org/2009/07/09/common-land-official-register/ CL121 Register Entry] -from local residents' association website
Management Plan
A comprehensive management plan{{cite web |last= Girvan |first= Isobel |date= September 2014|url=https://www.woking2027.info/allocations/sadpdexam/westfieldcommonmgtplan.pdf |title= Westfield Common Ecological Management Plan |publisher=Woking Borough Council}} to improve the ecology and social benefits of the common has been developed by Surrey Wildlife Trust and formally adopted by Woking Borough Council.
Gallery
File:Westfield Common - geograph.org.uk - 1757960.jpg|View of part of Westfield Common. There is a small Football Pitch where locals play
File:Right of Way across Westfield Common.jpg|Path leading to Moor Lane
File:Westfield Common Play Area, near Balfour Avenue - geograph.org.uk - 1757931.jpg|Westfield Common Play Area
File:Pond on Westfield Common - geograph.org.uk - 1757994.jpg|One of the Ponds on Westfield Common
File:Westfield Common - geograph.org.uk - 1047554.jpg|Animals on Westfield Common