Britain’s oldest national conservation body has launched its Grant A Green campaign to free up public land.

The Open Spaces Society is urging local councils to voluntarily register their open spaces as town or village greens, to protect them from development and give local people rights of recreation there.

The society has explained that it is more important now than ever to secure our green spaces.

Not only have the restrictions on movement meant that people have discovered that their local open spaces are essential for their health and sanity, but also those spaces are under unprecedented threat, said the organisation.

Open Spaces Society has also claimed the government is "intent on destroying the planning system", and green spaces are in the firing line for development.

Landowning local councils can set an example to others, and provide a gift for their communities, by registering their land as greens.

There is a guide to voluntary registration on the society’s website and there is no charge for applications, which are made to county or unitary councils’ commons registration departments under section 15(8) of the Commons Act 2006.

Nicola Hodgson, one of the society’s case officers said: "This is the moment for local councils to set an example and voluntarily register their land as town or village greens. "In the face of enormous threats to our precious open spaces this is the best way of ensuring that they can be enjoyed for ever by local people."

A spokesperson for Camborne Town Council said: "The green spaces we manage are all registered as ‘Fields in Trust.’

"These include Beacon, Treslothan Troon, Meneth Road, Camborne Rec & Rugby Club and Park Gerry."

Several other town councils from around Cornwall including Falmouth, Helston, Penryn, Porthleven, Truro,and Redruth have all been contacted for comment.