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National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949

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National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 27 December 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

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  1. Introductory Text

  2. Part I The National Parks Commission

    1. 1. The Countryside Council for Wales.

    2. 2.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    3. 3. Power of Minister to give directions to the Council.

    4. 4.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  3. Part II National Parks

    1. 4A. Application of Part II of this Act in Wales.

    2. 5. National Parks.

    3. 6. General duties of Natural England in relation to National Parks.

    4. 7. Designation and variation of National Parks.

    5. 8.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    6. 9. Development plans relating to National Parks.

    7. 10.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

    9. 11A. Duty of certain bodies and persons to have regard to the purposes for which National Parks are designated.

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

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

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

  4. Part III Nature Conservation

    1. 15. Meaning of “nature reserve.”

    2. 15A. Meaning of appropriate conservation body.

    3. 16.Agreements for management of nature reserves in Scotland and Wales

    4. 17. Compulsory acquisition of land by conservation body for establishment of nature reserves.

    5. 18. Compulsory acquisition of land by conservation body for maintenance of nature reserves.

    6. 19. Declarations that areas are nature reserves.

    7. 20. Byelaws for protection of nature reserves.

    8. 21. Establishment of nature reserves by local authorities.

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

    10. 23.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    11. 24.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    12. 25.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    13. 26. Application of Part III to Scotland.

  5. Part IV Public Rights of Way

    1. Ascertainment of footpaths, bridleways and certain other highways

      1. 27–35.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. 36.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      3. 37.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      4. 38.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      5. 39–50.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    2. Long-Distance Routes

      1. 50A. Application of Part IV of this Act in Wales.

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

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

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

      5. 54. Accommodation, meals and refreshments along long-distance routes.

      6. 55. Variation of approved proposals.

      7. 55A.Proposals relating to the English coastal route

      8. 55B.Route subject to erosion etc

      9. 55C.Alternative routes

      10. 55D.Coastal margin

      11. 55E.Consideration of reports made pursuant to the coastal access duty

      12. 55F.Directions under Part 1 of the CROW Act

      13. 55G.Ferries for the purposes of the English coastal route

      14. 55H.Variation pursuant to the coastal access duty

      15. 55I.Temporary diversions

      16. 55J.Interpretation of sections 55A to 55J

    3. Minor Amendments of Law relating to Rights of Way

      1. 56.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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

      3. 58.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  6. Part V Access to Open Country

    1. 59. Provision for public access to open country.

    2. 60. Rights of public where access agreement, 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.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    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. 84.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    2. General powers and duties of Commission

      1. 85. General duty of Natural England and the Natural Resources Body for Wales to advise on questions relating to natural beauty.

      2. 86. Information services to be provided by Natural England.

      3. 86A. Information services to be provided by Natural Resources Body for Wales.

    3. Areas of outstanding natural beauty

      1. 87. Designation of areas of outstanding natural beauty.

      2. 88. Functions of certain bodies in relation to areas of outstanding natural beauty.

    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, 94.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

    5. Financial Provisions

      1. 95.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. 96.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      3. 97.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      4. 98.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      5. 99. Contributions by local authorities.

      6. 100. Payments out of moneys provided by Parliament.

    6. Supplementary Provisions

      1. 101. Crown land.

      2. 102.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      3. 103. General provisions as to acquisition of land.

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

      5. 105.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      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. 111A. Application to the Broads Authority.

      13. 112. Epping Forest and Burnham Beeches.

      14. 113. National Trust land.

      15. 114. Interpretation.

      16. 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. 3A.An order designating a National Park shall have effect as...

          5. 4.(1) The Minister may, subject to the provisions of this...

      2. Part II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      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. Schedule 1A

      Coastal access reports

      1. Introductory

        1. 1.In this Schedule— (a) “ coastal access report ” means...

      2. Advertising etc of coastal access reports

        1. 2.(1) Natural England must— (a) advertise a coastal access report,...

      3. Objections by persons with relevant interest in affected land

        1. 3.(1) Any person who has a relevant interest in affected...

      4. Referral of objections to the appointed person

        1. 4.(1) Natural England must send to the Secretary of State...

      5. Determination of admissibility of objections

        1. 5.Where an objection is referred under paragraph 4(2), the appointed...

      6. Admissible objections

        1. 6.(1) Where Natural England is notified under paragraph 5(b) that...

      7. Representations about reports

        1. 7.(1) Representations about a coastal access report may be made...

        2. 8.(1) Natural England must send to the Secretary of State—...

      8. Reference of objection to the appointed person

        1. 9.(1) This paragraph applies where the Secretary of State is...

      9. Consideration of objections by appointed person

        1. 10.(1) This paragraph applies where the appointed person—

      10. Recommendations of the appointed person

        1. 11.(1) Where a determination is made in respect of an...

      11. Information and documents

        1. 12.(1) The appointed person may give Natural England a notice...

      12. Holding of local inquiries and other hearings by appointed person

        1. 13.(1) Where the appointed person considers it necessary or expedient...

      13. Supplementary provision about procedure in connection with objections

        1. 14.(1) Subject to the provisions of this Schedule, the Secretary...

      14. Preliminary consultation

        1. 15.(1) The Secretary of State may, by regulations, make provision...

      15. Determinations under section 52

        1. 16.(1) Before making a determination under section 52 in respect...

      16. Notice of determinations under section 52

        1. 17.(1) Where the Secretary of State makes a determination under...

      17. Interpretation

        1. 18.In this Schedule— “ admissible objection ” is to be...

    3. 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...

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