Countryside Act 1968

23 Provision of facilities by Forestry Commissioners

(1) The Forestry Commissioners constituted under the Forestry Acts 1919 to 1945 (in this section referred to as " the Commissioners ") shall have the powers conferred on them by this section.

(2) The Commissioners may, on any land placed at their disposal by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food or the Secretary of State for Wales, provide, or arrange for or assist in the provision of, tourist, recreational or sporting facilities and any equipment, facilities or works ancillary thereto, including without prejudice to that generality—

(a) accommodation for visitors,

(b) camping sites and caravan sites,

(c) places for meals and refreshments,

(d) picnic places, places for enjoying views, parking places, routes for nature study and footpaths,

(e) information and display centres,

(f) shops in connection with any of the aforesaid facilities,

(g) public conveniences,

and the Commissioners shall have power to make such charges as they think fit in connection with any of those facilities.

In this subsection " provide" includes manage, maintain and improve.

(3) The power of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Wales under section 39 of the [1967 c. 10.] Forestry Act 1967 to acquire land shall include power to acquire land in proximity to land placed by him at the disposal of the Commissioners where it appears to him that the land which it is proposed to acquire is reasonably required by the Commissioners for the provision of such facilities as are mentioned in subsection (2) above.

Either of the said Ministers shall have power to dispose of land acquired by him, whether by way of sale, lease or exchange, where in his opinion it is no longer so required, or where in his opinion the disposal is desirable for the purpose of securing the provision of any of those facilities by any other body or person.

(4) The Commissioners' powers to make byelaws under section 46 of the Forestry Act 1967 shall include power to make byelaws for regulating the reasonable use by the public of the facilities described in subsection (2) above, and in relation to any such matter as is described in section 41(3) of this Act.

(5) The Countryside Commission shall have power to act as agent for the Commissioners in the exercise of their powers under subsection (2) above.

(6) All expenses incurred by the Commissioners in the exercise of their powers under this section shall be paid out of the Forestry Fund, and all sums received by the Commissioners in the exercise of their powers under this section shall be paid into the Forestry Fund.