Greenham & Crookham Commons Commission

The Commons form the largest continuous tract of open heath in Berkshire. The entire common is access land, an important green lung for the people of West Berkshire, and a precious SSSI for a rich variety of wildlife and flora. The Commission is its guardian and manager, with a General Duty under the Greenham and Crookham Commons Act 2002. West Berkshire District Council is the owner of the Commons, and the Berks Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) provide the day to day maintenance and management of the Commons on behalf of the District Council, and working with the Commission. Both the District Council and BBOWT are represented on the Commission.

Creative Commons 13th and 14th September 2025

Thanks to all who visited the Creative Commons event on Greenham Common on 13th and 14th September, where aerial circus, dance, street theatre, music and more brought to life this very special environment – and its rich and complex stories.

Cattle on the Common, Advice about Adders, Ground Nesting Birds, Fire Dangers

Cattle returned to the grazing on the Common on 1st May 2025. Although the cattle mainly graze the open areas of the Common, they may be attracted to the small section of road which bisects Common land by the richer grazing on the roadside verges. For this reason, please keep to the 30mph speed limit, and watch for cattle at the sides of the road, as they may decide to wander across. If you spot an injured animal, there is a contact for animal welfare on the Contacts page of the website.

Adders are enjoying the warmer weather and may be sunning themselves in open areas of paths or on the grassed areas of the Common. Please watch out for adders, and keep dogs on leads in areas where you spot them, or areas where they may be basking. Adder bites can be fatal to dogs, so if your dog is bitten, or you believe they may have been bitten, contact your vet for advice straight away.

A fire was reported on the common on 1st July 2025 – the fire brigade attended and the fire was extinguished. It is believed this was started by a recreational bonfire. Please note that it is illegal under the Byelaws to light fires on the common, and at present, with high temperatures and the common very dry, fires have a significant danger of spreading. If you spot a fire on the common please report this to the fire brigade using 999. Between 9am and 5pm weekdays, the Council Customer Service number is 01635 551111. If this occurs out of hours, you can also use this number for the West Berkshire Council out of hours service, and select the appropriate option.

There are a number of species of ground nesting birds which nest on the Common in the spring. If disturbed they may leave their nests, and the chicks or eggs will not survive. Please keep to the marked paths, listen to advice from the wardens, and keep dogs under control, especially near areas of gorse where the birds may be concealed,

Greenham and Crookham Commons Regulations

Regulations concerning the exercise of Commoners Rights have, after due process and consultation, now been formally approved by DEFRA. They came into force on 13th June 2024. The Regulations can be found here.

Next Meeting

The next Commission meeting will be on 7th October at the West Berkshire Council Offices