Environment Act 1995

Common land etc.

1 (1) The enactments specified in sub-paragraph (2) below shall have effect in relation to any registered common which—

(a) is within any National Park for which a National Park authority is the local planning authority, and

(b) is not owned by, or vested in, any other body which is a local authority,

as if the National Park authority were a local authority for the purposes of those enactments and as if the relevant Park were that authority’s area.

(2) The enactments mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) above are—

(a) section 1 of the [1899 c. 30.] Commons Act 1899 (scheme for regulation);

(b) section 194(2) of the [1925 c. 20.] Law of Property Act 1925 (application for removal of works);

(c) section 23 of and Schedule 2 to the [1960 c. 62.] Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 (power of district council to prohibit caravans on commons); and

(d) section 9 of the [1965 c. 64.] Commons Registration Act 1965 (protection of unclaimed common land).

(3) In the [1899 c. 30.] Commons Act 1899 references to the council by which a scheme is made under section 1 of that Act shall be construed accordingly; and the powers conferred by sections 7 and 12 of that Act (acquisition of land and contributions to expenses) shall be exercisable by a National Park authority in relation to the relevant Park as they are exercisable by a district council in relation to their district.

(4) A National Park authority shall have the same power to make an application under section 18 of the [1899 c. 30.] Commons Act 1899 (modification of provisions for recreation grounds) as a local authority.

(5) References in this paragraph, in relation to an enactment specified in sub-paragraph (2) above or to any enactment contained in section 18 of the Commons Act 1899, to a local authority are references to any such local authority, within the [1899 c. 30.] meaning of the 1972 Act, as has functions conferred on it by or by virtue of that enactment.

(6) In this paragraph “registered common” means any land registered as common land or as a town or village green under the [1965 c. 64.] Commons Registration Act 1965.