Archived decisions
THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S APPROACH TOWARDS THE MANAGEMENT OF THE NEW RIGHTS OF ACCESS TO OPEN ACCESS LAND
1. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (Part I) created new rights of access on foot to areas of land which had been mapped as "open country" or registered common land and which are not subject to existing rights of access or which are not exempt because of the use of the land. December 14th, 2004 has been set as the date for the commencement of these new rights in central Southern England which includes Hampshire. The County Council, as the access authority for the area, has new powers, although significantly not duties, in relation to the implementation and management of the new rights of access.
2. The County Council is advised on matters relating to access to the countryside by the Hampshire Countryside Access Forum which is a statutory body whose members represent landowning and farming interests, recreational user groups and other countryside interests.
3. In drawing up a policy in respect of the new rights of access the County Council asked the Forum for advice on such matters as how detailed and prescriptive the County Council approach should be and also sought their views on how the County Council can best work with landowners to try and ease their concerns and how best to promote responsible use of these new rights.
4. The Executive Member has considered a detailed report on the matter which covered such elements as the extent of the new rights of access in Hampshire, the access management grant scheme (the only source of government funding to access authorities to exercise the new powers relating to the management of access land) the assessment of public benefits, the agreement of standards of access, landowner consultation and public information and education. The intention throughout the report was to keep a high degree of flexibility in the Council's approach towards the management of and the promotion of the responsible use of, these new rights; being too prescriptive at this stage might present difficulties later as it is impossible to know as yet the interest that these new rights will generate and the value they will have to the access network. It is also important for the County Council to retain the ability to respond to the issues raised by landowners and managers and ensure that the rights are implemented in a spirit of cooperation.
5. The Executive Member has endorsed the flexible approach towards the management of the new rights of access as set out in the report and which was also supported by the Hampshire Countryside Access Forum.
6. This supports Aim 2 of the Corporate Strategy.
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