Commons Registration

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council is the Commons Registration Authority for all common land registered in Blaenau Gwent. The Register of Common Land and Town and Village Greens was first established under the Commons Registration Act 1965. The Commons Act 2006 imposes a statutory duty on registration authorities to continue to maintain the register of common land.

We are also responsible for holding and maintaining the register of town and village greens, however, there are currently no town and village greens registered in Blaenau Gwent.

The Commons Registration service is only an administrative service. We can provide information as to procedures, but we can’t give legal advice. If you require legal advice or an interpretation of the law, this must be obtained independently.

Each area of common land is listed in the commons register under a unique unit number. The following units are registered in Blaenau Gwent:

CL10 – Bedwellty Common
CL12 – Manmoel Common
CL13 – Carn-y-Cefn Common
CL14 – Mulfran Common
CL16 – Gwastod Common

The register for each unit contains the following information:

LAND – this includes a description of the land registered as common land
RIGHTS – this includes a description of the rights of common, (e.g. the right to graze a set number of stock e.g. 50 sheep and 10 horses) over which area of the common they are exercisable and to what land these rights are attached.
OWNERSHIP – this includes details (if known) of owners of the registered land. However, entries in this section of the registers are not held to be conclusive in law.

Searches of the Commons Register

Searches of the commons register can be carried out to determine if a property or piece of land is on or adjacent to common land.

If you wish to carry out a commons search, a CON29(O) form (Optional Enquiries of the Local Authority Question 22) is required. The form and 2 copies of an ordinance survey map highlighting the area to be searched must be submitted with the appropriate fee. This form can either be submitted as a standalone search or together with CON29(R) form (Required Enquiries of the Local Authority)

We will then carry out the search and send the result back within 4-5 working days.

Alternatively, a personal search of the commons register can be carried out. There is no charge for a personal search but it is necessary to make an appointment. Personal searches may be carried out between the hours of 10.00am and 12.00pm, and 2.00pm and 4.00pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). Please telephone 01495 355086 to make an appointment.

Grazing Rights Searches

Grazing rights searches are carried out to determine whether land has the benefit of rights over common land. Grazing rights searches are not covered by a statutory form, but by forwarding a letter and plan the rights query can be answered by the Council applicable to the relevant Common Land.

Search Fees

Type of Search	Fee
Con29(O) form Q22	£12.00 (including vat)
Personal Search	Free
Grazing Rights Searches	£61.00

Fees for purchasing a copy of a Common Land Register or its Register Map

Copies Required	Fee
Extract of register map	£14.50
Full register map	£19.50
Copy of Commons text register	£11.50 for first 10 pages and £0.75 per page thereafter

Cheques should be made payable to “Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council”

Search requests and requests for copies of the map or register entries should be sent to:

Commons Registration Officer
Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
The General Offices
Steelworks Road
Ebbw Vale
NP23 6DN

Works on Common Land

Questions relating to the developing or carrying out of works on common land should be directed to the Planning Inspectorate of the Welsh Government who determines matters under the statutory provision of the Commons Act 2006.

Town and Village Greens

In accordance with Section 15 of the Commons Act 2006, we are required to process applications to register land as a town or village green.

Applications must be made on Form 44 – Application for the registration of land as a Town or Village Green. The form must be supported by a statutory declaration and further evidence which usually takes the form of witness statements.

Application Fees

The following fees apply to applications that can be made to the Commons Registration Authority.

Formal Apportionment under the 1965 Act	To apportion rights in the register when the land to which rights are attached is split	No Fee
Section 15 Commons Act 2006	Registration of a new town or village green	No fee
Section 19 (2) (a) or (c) of the 20006 Act	Correction of a mistake made by registration authority or removing a duplicate entry from the register	No Fee
Section 19 (2) (b) of the 2006 Act	Correction, for a purpose described in section 19(2)(b) i.e. correcting any mistake, where the amendment would not affect— (i) the extent of any land registered as common land or as a town or village green; or (ii) what can be done by virtue of a right of common;	£306
Section 19 (2) (d) or (e) of the 2006 Act	Correction, to update the details of any name or address, or to take account of accretion or diluvion.	£51
Schedule 2, paragraph 2 or 3, to the 2006 Act	Non-registration of common land or town or village green (i.e. not registered and should have been)	No Fee
Schedule 2, paragraph 4, to the 2006 Act	Waste land of a manor not registered as common land (i.e. not registered and should have been)	No Fee
Schedule 2, paragraph 5, to the 2006 Act	Town or village green wrongly registered as common land	No Fee
Schedule 2, paragraphs 6 - 9, to the 2006 Act	Deregistration of certain land registered as common land or as a town or village green in error	£2,400

Contact Information

Land Charges Section
Telephone Number: 01495 369707
Address: The General Offices, Steelworks Road, Ebbw Vale NP23 6DN
E-mail Address: land.charges@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk