As part of this protection, we have a responsibility to ensure these locally owned and managed spaces seek our consent to undertake any changes regarding land ownership, land transactions, erection of buildings and structures and that proposed changes fit with the purpose of the protected space and benefit its recreational use.
Our published Field Change Request procedure provides a way for landowners and managing organisations to request this consent for changes they are planning. If something is changing on a protected green space close to where you live, in the first instance please direct your query to the landowner.
When is consent required?
To establish whether Fields in Trust's consent is required for a specific change you should first check the legal documents relating to the space. They may include Governing Instruments, conveyances, transfer documents, deeds and Land Registry office copy entries. These documents will provide the basis and justification for seeking any consents from Fields in Trust. You should consider whether you wish to seek independent legal advice.
Once you have reviewed the space's legal documents, you can use our pre-application wizard below to check if the specific changes you are planning require our consent. If they do, you can then proceed to submit your application online. The wizard will also tell you what additional documents you will need to supply as part of your application. You may wish to refer to the guidance notes before starting your application.
Check whether you need to apply for Fields in Trust consent
Find out if the changes you are planning to your protected green space require a Field Change Request and start the process to submit your application.
How is consent obtained?
If you determine you require a Field Change Request using our pre-application wizard, you will be directed to start your application. Please ensure you have all the relevant documents to hand before you start, as you cannot save your application and return to it at a later date. The online application form will ask you about the changes you are planning and provide means to upload supporting documentation.
Once submitted, your application will be reviewed by a member of our team who will then get in touch to detail next steps, including an estimate of any costs involved and when you can expect to receive a decision.
How are decisions taken?
Fields Change Requests are reviewed monthly and the Fields in Trust Executive have delegated authority to respond to certain types of requests. Most cases are reviewed by our Planning and Policy Committee which is a representative group of Trustees with the greatest relevant experience. The Fields in Trust Scotland and Cymru Committees have responsibility for these decisions in their respective nations. We reserve the right to refer any application to our full Council who meet on a quarterly basis.
Further information
We have published guidance notes and policies setting out how we deal with certain types of requests to support you in completing your request. Please refer to these to see if your question is answered before getting in touch with us:
If you would like more information about the Field Change Request process, have completed the pre-application wizard and would like further advice before starting your application or have a query not answered in the above guidance, please use our contact form, selecting Field Change Request as the topic of your enquiry.
