The Land is Ours
Encyclopedia
The Land is Ours is a British
land rights
campaign advocating access to the land, its resources, and the planning processes.
The group was set up in the 1990s by George Monbiot
and others.
One of their first campaigns was the occupation of the disused Wisley Airfield
in Surrey
by 400 people in 1995 from which there was a live broadcast on the BBC's Newsnight programme. Nearby St. George's Hill is symbolically significant as it was previously seized by the Diggers in 1649, who planted vegetables on the common land there. The group finally occupied the hill in 1999, the 350th anniversary of the Diggers' occupation.
In May 1996 the group set up Pure Genius!!, an eco-village on squatted
land owned by Guinness
in Wandsworth
, London
. The site was evicted on 15 October 1996.
In 2009 a group inspired by The Land Is Ours opened Kew Bridge Eco Village, a squatted eco village on land owned by property developers St George; this was evicted on 27 May 2010.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
land rights
Land rights
Land law is the form of law that deals with the rights to use, alienate, or exclude others from land. In many jurisdictions, these species of property are referred to as real estate or real property, as distinct from personal property. Land use agreements, including renting, are an important...
campaign advocating access to the land, its resources, and the planning processes.
The group was set up in the 1990s by George Monbiot
George Monbiot
George Joshua Richard Monbiot is an English writer, known for his environmental and political activism. He lives in Machynlleth, Wales, writes a weekly column for The Guardian, and is the author of a number of books, including Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of Britain and Bring on the...
and others.
One of their first campaigns was the occupation of the disused Wisley Airfield
Wisley Airfield
-History:Built in 1944, the airfield was built for the flight testing of aircraft built at Vickers aircraft factory at the nearby Brooklands. New aircraft types making their first flights from Wisley included the Vickers VC.1 Viking, Valetta, Varsity, Viscount and Valiant...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
by 400 people in 1995 from which there was a live broadcast on the BBC's Newsnight programme. Nearby St. George's Hill is symbolically significant as it was previously seized by the Diggers in 1649, who planted vegetables on the common land there. The group finally occupied the hill in 1999, the 350th anniversary of the Diggers' occupation.
In May 1996 the group set up Pure Genius!!, an eco-village on squatted
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
land owned by Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
in Wandsworth
Wandsworth
Wandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The site was evicted on 15 October 1996.
In 2009 a group inspired by The Land Is Ours opened Kew Bridge Eco Village, a squatted eco village on land owned by property developers St George; this was evicted on 27 May 2010.
External links
- The Land is Ours website
- Diggers 350 is the UK Squatting and Land Rights email information and discussion service
- The Story of the Land on George MonbiotGeorge MonbiotGeorge Joshua Richard Monbiot is an English writer, known for his environmental and political activism. He lives in Machynlleth, Wales, writes a weekly column for The Guardian, and is the author of a number of books, including Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of Britain and Bring on the...
's website. - Video from Pure Genius campaign