National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949

  1. Introductory Text

  2. PART I The National Parks Commission

    1. 1.The National Parks Commission

    2. 2.Constitution of Commission

    3. 3.Power of Minister to give directions to Commission

    4. 4.Annual Report of Commission

  3. PART II National Parks

    1. 5.National Parks

    2. 6.General duties of Commission in relation to National Parks

    3. 7.Designation and variation of National Parks

    4. 8.Arrangements for administration of functions of local planning authorities as respects National Parks

    5. 9.Development plans relating to National Parks

    6. 10.Duty of local planning authority to formulate, and carry out, proposals for the purposes of s. 5 (1)

    7. 11.General powers of local planning authorities in relation to National Parks

    8. 12.Provision of accommodation, meals, refreshments, camping sites and parking places

    9. 13.Improvement of waterways for purposes of open-air recreation

    10. 14.Acquisition by Minister of land in National Parks

  4. PART III Nature Conservation

    1. 15.Meaning of " nature reserve "

    2. 16.Agreements with Nature Conservancy for establishment of nature reserves

    3. 17.Compulsory acquisition of land by Conservancy for establishment of nature reserves

    4. 18.Compulsory acquisition of land by Conservancy for maintenance of nature reserves

    5. 19.Declarations what areas are nature reserves

    6. 20.Byelaws for protection of nature reserves

    7. 21.Establishment of nature reserves by local authorities

    8. 22.Power of drainage authorities to do work in nature reserves

    9. 23.Duty of Conservancy to inform local planning authorities of areas of special scientific interest

    10. 24.Annual report of Nature Conservancy

    11. 25.Supplementary provisions as to powers of Conservancy

    12. 26.Application of Part III to Scotland

  5. PART IV Public Rights of Way

    1. Ascertainment of footpaths, bridleways and certain other highways

      1. 27.Surveys of public paths, etc., and preparation of draft maps and statements

      2. 28.Provision of information by other local authorities

      3. 29.Representations and objections as to draft maps and statements

      4. 30.Preparation of provisional maps and statements

      5. 31.Determination by quarter sessions of disputes as to provisional maps and statements

      6. 32.Preparation, publication and effect of definitive maps and statements

      7. 33.Periodical revision of maps and statements

      8. 34.Supplementary provisions as to revision of maps and statements

      9. 35.Application of ss. 27 to 34 to particular areas

      10. 36.Exercise of functions as to surveys, etc., by joint planning boards

      11. 37.Power of Minister to expedite preparation of maps and statements

      12. 38.Supplementary provisions as to maps and statements

    2. Creation of new public rights of way

      1. 39.Creation of rights of way by agreement

      2. 40.Compulsory powers for creation of public rights of way

      3. 41.Exercise by other authorities of powers under ss. 39 and 40

    3. Diversion and Closure of Public Paths

      1. 42.Diversion of public paths

      2. 43.Closure of public paths

      3. 44.Exercise of powers of making diversion and extinguishment orders

      4. 45.Supplementary provisions as to diversion and extinguishment orders

    4. Compensation Provisions

      1. 46.Compensation for creation, diversion and closure of public paths

    5. Liability for Repair of Public Paths

      1. 47.Liability for repair of public paths

      2. 48.Making up of public paths

      3. 49.Acceptance of new paths created by dedication

      4. 50.Private street works

    6. Long-Distance Routes

      1. 51.General provisions as to long-distance routes

      2. 52.Approval of proposals relating to a long-distance route

      3. 53.Ferries for purposes of long-distance routes

      4. 54.Accommodation, meals and refreshments along longdistance routes

      5. 55.Variation of approved proposals

    7. Minor Amendments of Law relating to Rights of Way

      1. 56.Rights of way subject to conditions for securing efficient use of agricultural land

      2. 57.Penalty for displaying on footpaths notices deterring public use

      3. 58.Amendment of 22 & 23 Geo. 5. c. 45, s. 1

  6. PART V Access to Open Country

    1. 59.Provision for public access to open country

    2. 60.Rights of public where access agreement or order in force

    3. 61.General survey of access requirements of local planning authority areas

    4. 62.Proceedings consequent on review under last foregoing section

    5. 63.Notification to Minister of action taken for securing public access

    6. 64.Access agreements

    7. 65.Access orders

    8. 66.Effect of access agreement or order on rights and liabilities of owners

    9. 67.Provision of means of access

    10. 68.Power of local planning authority to enforce access

    11. 69.Suspension of public access to avoid exceptional risk of fire

    12. 70.Compensation for access orders

    13. 71.Compensation to be assessed with regard to effect of first five years of access

    14. 72.Claims for compensation and interest

    15. 73.Payments on account in cases of special hardship

    16. 74.Application to waterways in National Parks

    17. 75.Exercise of powers under s. 13 as respects open country and waterways comprised in access orders

    18. 76.Acquisition by local authorities of land for public access

    19. 77.Acquisition by Ministers of land for public access

    20. 78.Maps of land subject to public access

    21. 79.Provisions as to woodlands

    22. 80.Provisions as to danger areas

    23. 81.Boundary notices

    24. 82.Power of local planning authority to contribute to work carried out by other persons

    25. 83.Repeal of 2 & 3 Geo. 6. c. 30

  7. PART VI General, Financial and Supplementary

    1. Protection for Agriculture and Forestry

      1. 84.Duty of authorities as respects agriculture and forestry

    2. General powers and duties of Commission

      1. 85.General duty of Commission to advise on questions relating to natural beauty

      2. 86.Information services to be provided by Commission

    3. Areas of outstanding natural beauty

      1. 87.Designation of areas of outstanding natural beauty

      2. 88.Application to areas of outstanding natural beauty of provisions relating to National Parks

    4. General Powers of Local Planning Authorities

      1. 89.Planting of trees and treatment of derelict land

      2. 90.Local authority byelaws

      3. 91.Default powers of Secretary of State as to certain byelaws

      4. 92.Wardens

      5. 93.Restriction of traffic on certain roads

      6. 94.Supplementary provisions as to orders under s. 93

    5. Financial Provisions

      1. 95.Expenses of Commission

      2. 96.Expenses and accounts of Nature Conservancy

      3. 97.Exchequer grants for National Parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty

      4. 98.Power of Minister to defray expenditure on long-distance routes

      5. 99.Contributions by local authorities

      6. 100.Payments out of moneys provided by Parliament

    6. Supplementary Provisions

      1. 101.Crown land

      2. 102.Power to authorise other local authorities to act in place of local planning authority

      3. 103.General provisions as to acquisition of land

      4. 104.General provisions as to appropriation and disposal of land

      5. 105.Default powers of Minister as respects National Parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and long-distance routes

      6. 106.Supplementary provisions as to byelaws

      7. 107.Supplementary provisions as to compensation under ss. 20, 46 and 70

      8. 108.Powers of entry

      9. 109.Application of provisions of Act of 1947 as to inquiries and service of notices

      10. 110.Regulations and orders

      11. 111.Application to Isles of Scilly

      12. 112.Epping Forest and Burnham Beeches

      13. 113.National Trust land

      14. 114.Interpretation

      15. 115.Short title and extent

  8. SCHEDULES

    1. FIRST SCHEDULE

      Provisions as to Making, Confirmation, Coming into Operation and Validity of certain Instruments

      1. PART I

        1. Orders designating National Parks, Public Path Orders, Diversion Orders and Extinguishment Orders, and Access Orders

          1. 1.(1) Before— (a) an order designating a National Park,

          2. 2.(1) If no representations or objections are duly made, or...

          3. 3.As soon as may be after any such order as...

          4. 4.(1) The Minister may, subject to the provisions of this...

      2. PART II

        1. Orders Restricting Traffic on certain Roads

          1. 5.(1) Before an order under subsection (3) of section ninety-three...

          2. 6.(1) Before the Minister of Transport makes an order under...

          3. 7.(1) The Minister of Transport may, subject to the provisions...

      3. PART III

        1. Provisions as to validity of orders, and of certain maps and statements prepared under Part IV of this Act

          1. 8.If any person desires to question the validity of an...

          2. 9.(1) If any person desires to question the validity of...

          3. 10.Subject to the provisions of the two last foregoing paragraphs,...

          4. 11.Paragraphs 8 and 10 of this Schedule shall not apply...

    2. SECOND SCHEDULE

      General Restrictions to be observed by Persons having access to open country or waterways by virtue of part V of act

      1. 1.Subsection (1) of section sixty of this Act shall not...

      2. 2.In the application of the foregoing provisions of this Schedule...