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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/jun/11/privately-owned-public-space-map
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| Privately owned public space: where are they and who owns them? | Privately owned public space: where are they and who owns them? |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| We're in the middle of a creeping privatisation of public space. Streets and open spaces are being defined as private land after redevelopment. It began with Canary Wharf but is now a standard feature of urban regeneration. In future, one of the biggest public squares in Europe - Granary square, in the new development around Kings Cross - will be privately owned. There are privatised public zones across Britain, from Brindleyplace in Birmingham to Liverpool One. | We're in the middle of a creeping privatisation of public space. Streets and open spaces are being defined as private land after redevelopment. It began with Canary Wharf but is now a standard feature of urban regeneration. In future, one of the biggest public squares in Europe - Granary square, in the new development around Kings Cross - will be privately owned. There are privatised public zones across Britain, from Brindleyplace in Birmingham to Liverpool One. |
| It's not easy to track the scale of this change. You can search the land registries covering England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but you have to do it one location at a time - and there's a cost attached. | It's not easy to track the scale of this change. You can search the land registries covering England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but you have to do it one location at a time - and there's a cost attached. |
| Local authorities keep a register of streets which lists whether it is part of the public highway or is private. This list includes open spaces in the form of squares, but not parks. But this is only available to organisations which coordinate street works. | Local authorities keep a register of streets which lists whether it is part of the public highway or is private. This list includes open spaces in the form of squares, but not parks. But this is only available to organisations which coordinate street works. |
We're asking readers to add to our map of privatised public spaces in Britain. | We're asking readers to add to our map of privatised public spaces in Britain. |
| For the purposes of this project, we are not looking at enclosed shopping malls - only open spaces, from streets and city squares to village greens, beaches and riverbanks, where there's a reasonable expectation that the space might be public. | For the purposes of this project, we are not looking at enclosed shopping malls - only open spaces, from streets and city squares to village greens, beaches and riverbanks, where there's a reasonable expectation that the space might be public. |
| The way to begin is by looking at re-developed spaces near you. Often, there'll be signs informing you that the land is private. There are three ways of confirming ownership - via the Land Registry in England and Wales (but you have to pay), by contacting your local authority, or by getting in touch with the developer. In Scotland, the public has access, for a fee, to land ownership records at the Registers of Scotland which can only be inspected in person. | The way to begin is by looking at re-developed spaces near you. Often, there'll be signs informing you that the land is private. There are three ways of confirming ownership - via the Land Registry in England and Wales (but you have to pay), by contacting your local authority, or by getting in touch with the developer. In Scotland, the public has access, for a fee, to land ownership records at the Registers of Scotland which can only be inspected in person. |
| When you've identified a privately owned street, park, square or beach - contact us here with as much detail as you have - the name of the location, a postcode. Even if you can't get any confirmation beyond the private property notice, that would be a good starting point for our reporting. You're welcome to send in pictures and commentary too - is there a sign saying its publicly owned? Is the public space truly welcoming to the public? Is the space gated or patrolled by private security? | When you've identified a privately owned street, park, square or beach - contact us here with as much detail as you have - the name of the location, a postcode. Even if you can't get any confirmation beyond the private property notice, that would be a good starting point for our reporting. You're welcome to send in pictures and commentary too - is there a sign saying its publicly owned? Is the public space truly welcoming to the public? Is the space gated or patrolled by private security? |
| This isn't necessarily an alarming development. Private investment can revive run-down public areas. But it's one we need to be aware of. | This isn't necessarily an alarming development. Private investment can revive run-down public areas. But it's one we need to be aware of. |
| Here's our online form for you to add details. Join the Twitter conversation by using the hash tag #keeppublic. | |
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