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United Kingdom Statutory Instruments


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URL: http://www.bailii.org/uk/legis/num_reg/2002/20021710.html

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2002 No. 1710

COUNTRYSIDE, ENGLAND

The Access to the Countryside (Provisional and Conclusive Maps) (England) Regulations 2002

  Made 7th July 2002 
  Laid before Parliament 8th July 2002 
  Coming into force 29th July 2002 


ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS


PART I

Preliminary
1. Title, commencement and extent
2. General interpretation

PART II

Provisional or conclusive maps
3. Scale of provisional or conclusive maps
4. Informing the public of the issue of provisional maps
5. Informing the public of the issue of conclusive maps
6. Where provisional maps are to be available for inspection
7. Where conclusive maps are to be available for inspection
8. Supply of reduced scale maps to certain bodies and to members of the public
9. Reduced scale maps on the internet
10. Deposit of reduced scale maps with local authorities and National Park authorities
11. Deposit of reduced scale maps derived from provisional maps with library authorities
12. Deposit of reduced scale maps derived from provisional maps with commons registration authorities
13. Certification of copies of provisional maps
14. Maps in electronic form

PART III

Appeals against provisional maps

CHAPTER I

Initial stages of appeals
15. Interpretation
16. Notice of appeal against provisional map
17. Notification of receipt of documents
18. Preliminary information to be supplied by the Agency
19. Notification of start of appeal etc.
20. Supply of further information by the Agency
21. Submission of statements of case etc.
22. Copies of documents etc.
23. Comments on statements of case etc.
24. Provision of further information

CHAPTER II

Appeals determined on the basis of written representations
25. Site inspections
26. Decision on appeal
27. Notification of decision

CHAPTER III

Appeals determined by way of a hearing
28. Date and notification of hearing
29. Consecutive hearings
30. Appearances at hearing
31. Inspector acting in place of the Secretary of State in respect of transferred appeals
32. Notification of name of inspector
33. Notification of the appointment of an assessor
34. Procedure at hearing
35. Site inspections
36. Procedure after hearing - appeals determined by the Secretary of State
37. Procedure after hearing - transferred appeals
38. Notification of decision - appeals determined by the Secretary of State
39. Notification of decision - transferred appeals

CHAPTER IV

Appeals to be determined by way of an inquiry
40. Statements of case
41. Procedure where the Secretary of State or inspector causes a pre-inquiry meeting to be held
42. Inquiry timetable
43. Date and notification of inquiry
44. Notification of name of inspector
45. Notification of appointment of assessor
46. Appearances at inquiry
47. Inspector may act in place of Secretary of State
48. Proofs of evidence
49. Statement of common ground
50. Procedure at inquiry
51. Site inspections
52. Procedure after inquiry - appeals determined by the Secretary of State
53. Procedure after inquiry - transferred appeals
54. Notification of decision - appeals determined by the Secretary of State
55. Notification of decision - transferred appeals

CHAPTER V

General
56. Further time and additional copies
57. Inspection and copying of documents
58. Changes of procedure
59. Recovery of jurisdiction
60. Procedure following quashing of a decision
61. Use of electronic communications

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in exercise of the powers conferred on her by sections 11(1), (2) and (3), 44(2) and 45 (1)[
1] of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000[2], and of all other powers enabling her in that behalf, hereby makes the following Regulations:



PART I

PRELIMINARY

Title, commencement and extent
     1.  - (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Access to the Countryside (Provisional and Conclusive Maps) (England) Regulations 2002 and shall come into force on 29th July 2002.

    (2) These Regulations extend to England only[
3].

General interpretation
     2.  - (1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires - 

    (2) In these Regulations - 



PART II

PROVISIONAL OR CONCLUSIVE MAPS

Scale of provisional or conclusive maps
     3.  - (1) Any provisional or conclusive map issued by the Agency shall be in electronic form and on a scale of not less than 1/10,000.

    (2) The scale of any part of any such map may vary, provided each part is on a scale of not less than 1/10,000.

Informing the public of the issue of provisional maps
    
4.  - (1) Where the Agency have issued a provisional map, they shall, as soon as reasonably practicable on or after the date of issue, publish a notice which - 

    (2) The notice referred to in paragraph (1) shall be published - 

Informing the public of the issue of conclusive maps
    
5.  - (1) Where the Agency have issued a conclusive map, they shall, as soon as reasonably practicable on or after the date of issue, publish a notice which - 

    (2) The notice referred to in paragraph (1) shall be published - 

Where provisional maps are to be available for inspection
    
6.  - (1) Subject to paragraph (2), where the Agency have issued a provisional map, they shall, as soon as reasonably practicable on or after the date of issue, make the map available for inspection by members of the public at all reasonable hours in such regional office of the Agency as they consider appropriate.

    (2) The map shall be available for inspection for the period during which it remains current.

Where conclusive maps are to be available for inspection
    
7.  - (1) Subject to paragraph (2), where the Agency have issued a conclusive map, they shall, as soon as reasonably practicable on or after the date of issue, make the map available for inspection by members of the public at all reasonable hours in such regional office of the Agency as they consider appropriate.

    (2) The map shall be available for inspection for the period during which it remains current.

Supply of reduced scale maps to certain bodies and to members of the public
    
8.  - (1) Where the Agency have issued a provisional map, they shall, as soon as reasonably practicable on or after the date of issue - 

    (2) Where the Agency have issued a conclusive map, they shall, as soon as reasonably practicable on or after the date of issue - 

    (3) Where a person requests a reduced scale map under paragraph (1)(b) or (2)(b) above relating to only part of the area of land to which the provisional or conclusive map relates, he shall provide the Agency with such information as the Agency reasonably require to enable that part to be identified, and the Agency shall supply a reduced scale map relating, so far as practicable, to only that part.

Reduced scale maps on the internet
    
9. Where the Agency have issued a provisional or conclusive map, they shall, as soon as reasonably practicable on or after the date of issue, make a reduced scale map available for inspection on a website maintained by the Agency on the internet for the period during which the reduced scale map remains current.

Deposit of reduced scale maps with local authorities and National Park authorities
    
10.  - (1) Subject to paragraph (2), where the Agency have issued a provisional or conclusive map they shall, as soon as reasonably practicable on or after the date of issue, deposit a reduced scale map with the proper officer of any local authority or National Park authority[5] exercising functions for any area of land to which the provisional or conclusive map (as the case may be) relates.

    (2) Where the functions of a local authority or National Park authority relate to only part of the area of land covered by the provisional or conclusive map, a reduced scale map relating to only that part may be deposited.

    (3) In the case of a provisional map, the proper officer shall, in accordance with section 225(1) of the Local Government Act 1972[6], retain the reduced scale map for the period during which the map remains current for the purpose of its being available for inspection and making copies in accordance with section 228(5) of that Act[7].

    (4) In the case of a conclusive map - 

    (5) In this regulation, "local authority" means a county council, district council or London borough council.

Deposit of reduced scale maps derived from provisional maps with library authorities
     11.  - (1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), where the Agency have issued a provisional map, they shall, as soon as reasonably practicable on or after the date of issue, deposit reduced scale maps with the proper officer of any library authority exercising functions for any area of land to which that map relates.

    (2) Where the functions of an authority relate to only part of the area of land covered by the provisional map, reduced scale maps relating to only that part may be deposited.

    (3) The number of reduced scale maps deposited shall be such number as the Agency consider appropriate, after consultation with the proper officer of the library authority.

    (4) The proper officer shall, in accordance with section 225(1) of the Local Government Act 1972, retain the reduced scale maps for the purpose of their being available for inspection and making copies in accordance with section 228(5) of that Act - 

    (5) In this regulation, "library authority" means a library authority under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964[8].

Deposit of reduced scale maps derived from provisional maps with commons registration authorities
     12.  - (1) Subject to paragraph (2), where the Agency have issued a provisional map, they shall, as soon as reasonably practicable on or after the date of issue, deposit relevant extracts of a reduced scale map with the proper officer of any registration authority exercising functions for any area of land to which that map relates.

    (2) Where the functions of an authority relate to only part of the area of land covered by the provisional map, relevant extracts of a reduced scale map relating to only that part may be deposited.

    (3) The proper officer shall, in accordance with section 225(1) of the Local Government Act 1972, retain the relevant extracts of the reduced scale map for the purpose of their being available for inspection and making copies in accordance with section 228(5) of that Act - 

    (4) In this regulation - 

Certification of copies of provisional maps
     13. A document purporting to be certified on behalf of the Agency to be a copy of, or of any part, of a provisional map issued by the Agency shall be receivable in evidence and shall be deemed, unless the contrary is shown, to be such a copy.

Maps in electronic form
    
14. Any map authorised or required by this Part of these Regulations to be prepared, issued or made available for inspection in electronic form must be capable of being reproduced in printed form.



PART III

APPEALS AGAINST PROVISIONAL MAPS



CHAPTER I

Initial stages of appeals

Interpretation
    
15. In this Part - 

Notice of appeal against provisional map
    
16.  - (1) Any appeal to the Secretary of State under section 6(1) against the showing of any land on a provisional map as registered common land or open country shall be made by notice given to the Secretary of State, on a form obtained from her, within three months of the date of the issue of the map.

    (2) If the appellant wishes to withdraw an appeal before it is determined, he shall do so by giving notice to the Secretary of State before the appeal is determined, and the Secretary of State shall send a copy of that notice as soon as practicable to the Agency.

Notification of receipt of documents
    
17. The Secretary of State shall, as soon as practicable after she has received all the information required to enable her to entertain the appeal, notify the appellant and the Agency of this in writing and send a copy of the notice of the appeal to the Agency.

Preliminary information to be supplied by the Agency
    
18. The Agency shall ensure that, within two weeks of the receipt by them of notification in accordance with regulation 17, the following have been received by the Secretary of State and a copy has been received by the appellant - 

Notification of start of appeal etc
    
19.  - (1) The Secretary of State shall, as soon as practicable after receipt of the information required to be supplied by the Agency in accordance with regulation 18, notify in writing the appellant, the Agency and any other person who made representations to the Agency in respect of the showing of, or failure to show, the appeal land as registered common land or open country on a draft map of - 

    (2) A notice under paragraph (1) shall - 

    (3) The Secretary of State shall ensure that a copy of the notice of appeal is available for inspection on a website maintained by the Planning Inspectorate Executive Agency until the appeal is determined.

Supply of further information by the Agency
    
20. The Agency shall ensure that, within two weeks of the start date, the Secretary of State and the appellant have received copies of - 

Submission of statements of case etc
    
21. Within six weeks of the start date - 

Copies of documents etc
    
22. The Secretary of State shall, as soon as practicable after receipt of copies of the documents referred to in regulation 21 or, where further information is required under regulation 24 - 

Comments on statement of case etc.
    
23. Within nine weeks of the start date - 

Provision of further information
    
24. The Secretary of State, or the inspector, may require such further information as she or he may specify from - 

and all such information shall be provided in writing within such period as the Secretary of State, or the inspector, may reasonably require.



CHAPTER II

Appeals determined on the basis of written representations

Site inspections
    
25.  - (1) Where it appears to the Secretary of State necessary or expedient to do so, she may arrange for an inspection of the appeal land to be made by an inspector; and the Secretary of State shall arrange for such an inspection to be made if so requested by the appellant or the Agency in relation to an appeal against the showing of any land as open country on a provisional map.

    (2) Where the inspector intends to make an inspection under paragraph (1), the Secretary of State shall ask the appellant and the Agency whether they wish to be present or be represented.

    (3) Where the appellant or the Agency has indicated that they wish to be present or be represented, the inspector shall give the appellant and the Agency reasonable notice of the date and time of the inspection and shall afford the appellant and the Agency, or their representatives, the opportunity of being present during the inspection.

    (4) The inspector shall not be bound to defer an inspection if the appellant or the Agency, or their representative, is not present at the appointed time.

Decision on appeal
    
26. The Secretary of State or, as the case may be, the inspector may proceed to a decision on an appeal taking into account only such statements of case, representations and comments as have been provided within the time limits prescribed by or under these Regulations.

Notification of decision
    
27. The Secretary of State, or as the case may be, the inspector shall notify their decision on an appeal, and their reasons for it, in writing to - 

and the Secretary of State shall also arrange for a copy of the decision to be made available for inspection on a website maintained by the Planning Inspectorate Executive Agency for the period during which the provisional map covering the appeal land remains current.



CHAPTER III

Appeals determined by way of a hearing

Date and notification of hearing
    
28.  - (1) The date fixed by the Secretary of State for a hearing shall be the earliest date after the expiry of the appeal period which she considers to be practicable having regard to the desirability of arranging consecutive hearings to be held in connection with appeals relating to land in the area to which the provisional map relates.

    (2) Unless the Secretary of State agrees a lesser period of notice with the appellant and the Agency, she shall give the appellant, the Agency and any person who, under regulation 21(c), has made representations to the Secretary of State in respect of the appeal not less than four weeks' written notice of the date, time and place fixed by her for the holding of a hearing.

    (3) The Secretary of State may at any time change the date fixed for the holding of a hearing (whether or not the new date is within the period mentioned in paragraph (1)) and paragraph (2) shall apply to the new date.

    (4) The Secretary of State may at any time change the time or place for the holding of a hearing and shall give such notice of any change to the persons mentioned in paragraph (2).

    (5) The Secretary of State may require the Agency, not less than two weeks before the date fixed for the hearing, or, in the case of a number of consecutive appeals relating to land in the area to which the provisional map relates, the date fixed for the hearing of the first of such appeals, to publish a notice of the hearing, or (as the case may be) of the hearing of the first of such appeals, in one or more newspapers circulating in the locality in which the appeal land is situated; and the Secretary of State shall ensure that the Planning Inspectorate Executive Agency makes a copy of such notice available for inspection on a website which it maintains until the appeal is determined.

    (6) Every notice of hearing published pursuant to paragraph (5) shall contain - 

Consecutive hearings
    
29. The Secretary of State may arrange for two or more appeals to be heard consecutively where they relate to the same area of land or to areas of land which she considers to be clustered in such proximity as to make it expedient for the hearings to be held consecutively.

Appearances at hearing
    
30.  - (1) The persons entitled to appear at the hearing are - 

but the inspector may permit any other person to appear at a hearing, and such permission shall not be unreasonably withheld.

    (2) Any person entitled or permitted to appear may appear in person or be represented by any other person.

Inspector acting in place of Secretary of State in respect of transferred appeals
    
31.  - (1) This regulation applies where a hearing is to be or has been held in respect of a transferred appeal.

    (2) An inspector may in place of the Secretary of State take such steps as the Secretary of State is required or enabled to take under or by virtue of regulation 56(2) in respect of an appeal to be determined by way of a hearing; and, where an inspector requires further information or copies pursuant to regulation 56(2), such information or copies shall be sent to him.

Notification of name of inspector
    
32. The inspector shall, at the commencement of the hearing, announce his name and the fact of his appointment.

Notification of the appointment of an assessor
    
33. Where the Secretary of State has appointed an assessor in respect of a hearing, the inspector shall, at the commencement of the hearing, announce the name of the assessor and the fact of his appointment.

Procedure at hearing
    
34.  - (1) Except as otherwise provided in this Part, the inspector shall determine the procedure at a hearing.

    (2) A hearing shall take the form of a discussion led by an inspector, and cross-examination shall not be permitted unless the inspector considers that cross-examination is required to ensure a thorough examination of the main issues.

    (3) Where the inspector considers that cross-examination is required under paragraph (2), he shall consider, after consulting the appellant and the Agency, whether the hearing should be closed and an inquiry held instead.

    (4) At the start of the hearing the inspector shall identify what are, in his opinion, the main issues to be considered at the hearing and any matters on which he requires further explanation from any person appearing at the hearing; but this shall not preclude the addition in the course of the hearing of other issues for consideration or any person appearing at the hearing from referring to issues which they consider relevant to the consideration of the appeal but which were not issues so identified by the inspector.

    (5) The appellant and the Agency shall be entitled to give, or to call another person to give, oral evidence, and any other person may give, or call another person to give, oral evidence if so permitted by an inspector at his discretion, but notwithstanding any such entitlement or permission, the inspector may, at any stage in the procedings refuse to permit the giving of evidence or presentation of any other matter which he considers to be irrelevant or repetitious.

    (6) Where the inspector refuses to permit the giving of oral evidence, the person wishing to give, or to call any other person to give, evidence may submit to him any evidence or other matter in writing before the close of the hearing.

    (7) The inspector may require any person appearing or present at a hearing who, in his opinion, is behaving in a disruptive manner to leave the hearing; and the inspector may then refuse to permit that person to return or permit him to return only on such conditions as he may specify, but any such person may submit to the inspector any evidence or other matter in writing before the close of the hearing.

    (8) The inspector may allow the appellant or the Agency to alter or make any addition to a statement of case submitted under regulation 21(a) or (b) so far as may be necessary for the purposes of the hearing.

    (9) The inspector may - 

Site inspections
    
35.  - (1) Where it appears to an inspector that one or more matters would be more satisfactorily resolved by adjourning the hearing to the appeal site, he may adjourn the hearing to that site and conclude the hearing there provided he is satisfied that - 

    (2) Unless the hearing is to be adjourned to the appeal site pursuant to paragraph (1), the inspector may, where it appears to him necessary or expedient to do so, arrange to make an inspection of the appeal land in the company of the appellant and the Agency, or their representatives; and the inspector shall arrange to make such an inspection if requested to do so by the appellant or the Agency before or during the hearing in relation to an appeal against the showing of any land as open country on a provisional map.

    (3) In all cases where the inspector intends to make a site inspection he shall announce during the hearing the date and time at which he proposes to make it.

    (4) The inspector shall not be bound to defer an inspection if the appellant or the Agency, or their representative, is not present at the appointed time.

Procedure after hearing - appeals determined by the Secretary of State
    
36.  - (1) This regulation applies where a hearing has been held for the purposes of any appeal determined by the Secretary of State.

    (2) After the close of the hearing, the inspector shall make a report in writing to the Secretary of State which shall include his conclusions and his recommendations or his reasons for not making any recommendations.

    (3) When making her determination the Secretary of State may disregard any written representations, evidence or other document received after the hearing has closed.

    (4) If, after the close of the hearing, the Secretary of State - 

and is, for that reason, disposed to disagree with a recommendation made by the inspector, she shall not come to a decision which is at variance with that recommendation without first notifying the appellant, the Agency and any other person who appeared at the hearing of her disagreement and the reasons for it, and affording them an opportunity of making written representations to her or, if the Secretary of State has taken into consideration any new evidence or new matter of fact, of asking for the re-opening of the hearing.

    (5) Those persons making written representations or requesting the re-opening of the hearing pursuant to paragraph (4) shall ensure that such representations or requests are received by the Secretary of State within three weeks of the date of the Secretary of State's notification under that paragraph.

    (6) The Secretary of State may, if she thinks fit, cause a hearing to be re-opened, and she shall do so if asked by the appellant or the Agency in the circumstances mentioned in paragraph (4) and within the period mentioned in paragraph (5); and where a hearing is re-opened (whether by the same or a different inspector) - 

Procedure after hearing - transferred appeals
    
37.  - (1) This regulation applies where a hearing has been held for the purposes of a transferred appeal.

    (2) When making his decision, the inspector may disregard any written representations or evidence or any other document received after the hearing has closed.

    (3) If, after the close of the hearing, an inspector proposes to take into account any new matter of fact which was not raised at the hearing and which he considers to be material to his decision, he shall not come to a decision without first - 

and they shall ensure that such written representations or request to re-open the hearing are received by the Secretary of State within three weeks of the date of notification.

    (4) An inspector may, if he thinks fit, cause a hearing to be re-opened, and he shall do so if asked by the appellant or the Agency in the circumstances and within the period mentioned in paragraph (3); and where a hearing is re-opened - 

Notification of decision - appeals determined by the Secretary of State
    
38.  - (1) This regulation applies where a hearing has been held for the purposes of any appeal determined by the Secretary of State.

    (2) The Secretary of State shall notify her decision on the appeal, and her reasons for reaching it, in writing to - 

    (3) Where a copy of the inspector's report is not sent with the notification of the decision, the notification shall be accompanied by a statement of his conclusions and of any recommendations made by him; and if a person entitled to be notified of the decision has not received a copy of that report, he shall be supplied with a copy of it on written application to the Secretary of State.

    (4) In this regulation, "report" does not include any documents appended to the inspector's report; but any person who has received a copy of the report may apply to the Secretary of State in writing for an opportunity to inspect any such documents, and the Secretary of State shall afford him that opportunity.

    (5) A person applying to the Secretary of State under paragraph (3) or (4) shall ensure that his application is received by the Secretary of State within four weeks and six weeks, respectively, of the date of the decision of the Secretary of State.

    (6) The Secretary of State shall ensure that a copy of the notification given under paragraph (2) is available for inspection on the website maintained by the Planning Inspectorate Executive Agency for the period during which the provisional map covering the land to which the appeal relates remains current.

Notification of decision - transferred appeals
    
39.  - (1) This regulation applies where a hearing has been held for the purposes of a transferred appeal.

    (2) An inspector shall notify his decision on the appeal, and his reasons for it, in writing to - 

    (3) Any person entitled to be notified of the inspector's decision under paragraph (2) may apply to the Secretary of State in writing for an opportunity of inspecting any documents listed in the notification, and the Secretary of State shall afford him that opportunity.

    (4) Any person making an application under paragraph (3) shall ensure that it is received by the Secretary of State within six weeks of the date of the inspector's decision.

    (5) The Secretary of State shall ensure that a copy of the notification given under paragraph (2) is available for inspection on a website maintained by the Planning Inspectorate Executive Agency for the period during which the provisional map covering the appeal land remains current.



CHAPTER IV

Appeals to be determined by way of an inquiry

Statements of case
    
40. The appellant and the Agency may each in writing require the other to provide a copy of any document referred to in the list of documents comprised in their statement of case, and any such document (or relevant part of it) shall be sent, as soon as practicable, to the party who required it.

Procedure where the Secretary of State or inspector causes pre-inquiry meeting to be held
    
41.  - (1) The Secretary of State or the inspector shall hold a pre-inquiry meeting if it appears to them to be necessary, and any such meeting (or, where there is more than one, the first such meeting) shall be held within sixteen weeks of the start date or at the earliest practicable time thereafter.

    (2) Where the Secretary of State or the inspector decides to hold such a meeting, she or he (as the case may be) shall notify in writing the appellant and the Agency of her (or his) intention to hold such a meeting.

    (3) The Secretary of State or the inspector shall give not less than two weeks' written notice of the pre-inquiry meeting to - 

    (4) The inspector - 

    (5) Where a pre-inquiry meeting is held pursuant to paragraph (1), the inspector may hold a further pre-inquiry meeting and he shall arrange for such notice to be given of a further pre-inquiry meeting as appears to him necessary; and paragraph (4) shall apply to such a pre-inquiry meeting.

    (6) If the Secretary of State or the inspector requests any further information at the pre-inquiry meeting from the appellant, the Agency or any other person present at that meeting, the person required to provide the information shall ensure that two copies of it have been received by the Secretary of State, or the inspector, as the case may be, within four weeks of the conclusion of the pre-inquiry meeting; and the Secretary of State shall, as soon as practicable after receipt of any such information send a copy of it to the other parties entitled to appear at the inquiry.

Inquiry timetable
    
42.  - (1) Where a pre-inquiry meeting is held pursuant to regulation 41, the inspector shall arrange a timetable for the proceedings at, or at part of, the inquiry.

    (2) The inspector shall specify in a timetable arranged pursuant to this regulation a date by which any proof of evidence sent in accordance with regulation 48 shall be received by the Secretary of State.

Date and notification of inquiry
    
43.  - (1) The date fixed by the Secretary of State for the holding of an inquiry shall, unless she considers such a date to be impracticable, be not later than - 

    (2) Where the Secretary of State considers it impracticable to fix a date in accordance with paragraph (1), the date fixed shall be the earliest date after the expiry of the relevant period mentioned in that paragraph which she considers to be practicable.

    (3) Unless the Secretary of State agrees a lesser period of notice with the appellant and the Agency, she shall give to the appellant, the Agency and any persons who have made representations to the Secretary of State in respect of the appeal under regulation 21(c) not less than four weeks' written notice of the date, time and place fixed by her for the holding of an inquiry.

    (4) The Secretary of State may - 

    (5) Where, under paragraph (4)(a), the Secretary of State changes the date for the holding of an inquiry, paragraph (3) shall apply to the new date as it applied to the date originally fixed, and where, under paragraph (4)(b), she changes the time or place for the holding of an inquiry, she shall give such notice of the change as appears to her to be reasonable.

    (6) The Secretary of State may require the Agency to publish, not less than two weeks before the date fixed for the holding of an inquiry, a notice of the inquiry in one or more newspapers circulating in the locality in which the appeal land is situated; and the Secretary of State shall ensure that the Planning Inspectorate Executive Agency makes a copy of such notice available for inspection on a website which it maintains until the appeal is determined.

    (7) Every notice of an inquiry published pursuant to paragraph (6) shall contain - 

Notification of name of inspector
    
44. The inspector shall, at the commencement of the inquiry, announce his name and the fact of his appointment.

Notification of appointment of assessor
    
45. Where the Secretary of State has appointed an assessor in respect of an inquiry, the inspector shall, at the commencement of the inquiry, announce the name of the assessor and the fact of his appointment.

Appearances at inquiry
    
46.  - (1) The persons entitled to appear at an inquiry are - 

    (2) The inspector may permit any other person to appear at any inquiry, which permission shall not be unreasonably withheld.

    (3) Any person entitled or permitted to appear may appear in person or be represented by another person.

Inspector may act in place of Secretary of State
    
47. An inspector may, in place of the Secretary of State, take such steps as the Secretary of State is required or enabled to take under or by virtue of regulations 41(5), 54 and 56(2); and where an inspector requires further information or copies pursuant to regulation 56(2), that information or those copies shall be sent to him.

Proofs of evidence
    
48.  - (1) Subject to paragraph (2), where the appellant or the Agency propose to give, or to call another person to give, evidence at the inquiry by reading a proof of evidence, he or they shall send two copies of the proof of evidence, together with any written summary accompanying it, to the Secretary of State; and the Secretary of State shall, as soon as practicable after receiving it, send a copy of the proof of evidence provided by the appellant or the Agency, as the case may be, together with any written summary accompanying it, to the other party.

    (2) A written summary shall be required where the proof of evidence in question exceeds one thousand five hundred words.

    (3) The appellant and the Agency shall ensure that the proof of evidence and any summary is received by the Secretary of State no later than - 

    (4) Where a written summary is provided in accordance with paragraph (1), only that summary shall be read at the inquiry, unless the inspector permits or requires otherwise.

    (5) Any person required by this regulation to send copies of a proof of evidence to the Secretary of State shall send with them the same number of copies of the whole (or the relevant part) of any document referred to in the proof of evidence, unless a copy of the document (or part of the document) in question is already available for inspection pursuant to this regulation.

Statement of common ground
    
49. The appellant and the Agency shall together prepare a statement of common ground, and the Agency shall ensure that the Secretary of State receives it not less than four weeks before the date fixed for the holding of the inquiry.

Procedure at inquiry
    
50.  - (1) Except as otherwise provided in these Regulations, the inspector shall determine the procedure at an inquiry.

    (2) At the start of the inquiry the inspector shall identify what are, in his opinion, the main issues to be considered at the inquiry and any matters on which he requires further explanation from any person appearing at the inquiry.

    (3) Nothing in paragraph (2) shall preclude the addition in the course of the inquiry of other issues for consideration or preclude any person entitled or permitted to appear from referring to issues which that person considers relevant to the consideration of the appeal but which were not issues identified by the inspector pursuant to that paragraph.

    (4) Unless in a particular case the inspector otherwise determines, the Agency shall begin and the appellant shall have the right of final reply; and any other persons appearing at the hearing shall be heard in such order as the inspector shall determine.

    (5) Subject to paragraph (6), a person appearing at an inquiry shall be entitled to give, or call any other person to give, oral evidence, and the appellant and the Agency shall be entitled to cross-examine persons giving evidence, and any other person, if so permitted by the the inspector at his discretion, may give or call another person to give evidence, and may cross-examine any person giving evidence.

    (6) The inspector may at any stage in the proceedings refuse to permit - 

which he considers to be irrelevant or repetitious.

    (7) Where under paragraph (5) or (6) the inspector refuses to permit the giving of oral evidence, the person wishing to give the evidence may submit to him any evidence or other matter in writing before the close of the inquiry.

    (8) Where a person gives evidence at an inquiry by reading a summary of his proof of evidence - 

    (9) The inspector may - 

but any such person may submit to the inspector any evidence or other matter in writing before the close of the inquiry.

    (10) The inspector may allow any person to alter or add to a statement of case received by the Secretary of State under regulation 21 or a proof of evidence or summary sent to the Secretary of State under regulation 48(1) so far as may be necessary for the purposes of the inquiry; but he shall (if necessary by adjourning the inquiry) give every other person appearing at the inquiry an adequate opportunity of considering any fresh matter or document.

    (11) The inspector may proceed with an inquiry in the absence of any person entitled to appear at it.

    (12) The inspector may take into account any written representations, or evidence or any other document received by him from any person before an inquiry opens or during the inquiry, provided he discloses it at the inquiry.

    (13) The inspector may from time to time adjourn an inquiry, and if the date, time and place of the adjourned inquiry are announced at the inquiry before the adjournment, no further notice shall be required.

Site inspections
    
51.  - (1) During an inquiry or after its close, the inspector may, where it appears to him necessary or expedient to do so, arrange to make an inspection of the appeal land; and the inspector shall arrange to make such an inspection if so requested by the appellant or the Agency before or during the inquiry in relation to an appeal against the showing of any land as open country on a provisional map.

    (2) Where the inspector intends to make an inspection under paragraph (1), he shall ask the appellant and the Agency whether they wish to be present or be represented.

    (3) Where the appellant or the Agency have indicated that they wish to be present or be represented, the inspector shall give the appellant and the Agency reasonable notice of the date and time of the inspection and shall afford the appellant and the Agency, or their representatives, the opportunity of being present during the inspection.

    (4) The inspector shall not be bound to defer an inspection if the appellant or the Agency or their representative is not present at the appointed time.

Procedure after inquiry - appeals to be determined by the Secretary of State
    
52.  - (1) This regulation applies where an inquiry has been held for the purposes of any appeal determined by the Secretary of State.

    (2) After the close of an inquiry the inspector shall make a report in writing to the Secretary of State which shall include his conclusions and his recommendations or his reasons for not making any recommendations.

    (3) Where an assessor has been appointed, he shall, after the close of the inquiry, make a report in writing to the inspector in respect of the matters on which he was appointed to advise.

    (4) Where an assessor makes such a report, the inspector shall append it to his own report and shall state in his own report how far he agrees or disagrees with the assessor's report and, where he disagrees with the assessor, his reasons for that disagreement.

    (5) When making her decision the Secretary of State may disregard any written representations, evidence or other document received after the close of the inquiry.

    (6) If, after the close of the inquiry, the Secretary of State - 

and is for that reason disposed to disagree with a recommendation made by the inspector, she shall not come to a decision which is at variance with that recommendation without first notifying the appellant and the Agency, and any other person who appeared at the inquiry, of her disagreement and the reasons for it, and affording them an opportunity of making written representations to her or of asking for the re-opening of the inquiry.

    (7) Those persons making written representations or requesting the inquiry to be re-opened under paragraph (6) shall ensure that such representations or requests are received by the Secretary of State within three weeks of the date of the Secretary of State's notification under that paragraph.

    (8) The Secretary of State may, if she thinks fit, cause an inquiry to be re-opened, and she shall do so if asked by the appellant or the Agency in the circumstances mentioned in paragraph (6) and within the period mentioned in paragraph (7); and where an inquiry is re-opened (whether by the same or a different inspector) - 

Procedure after inquiry - transferred appeals
    
53.  - (1) This regulation applies for the purposes of an inquiry held for the purposes of a transferred appeal.

    (2) Where an assessor has been appointed, he shall, after the close of the inquiry, make a report in writing to the inspector in respect of the matters on which he was appointed to advise, and the inspector shall state in the notification of his decision pursuant to regulation 55 that such a report was made.

    (3) When making his decision the inspector may disregard any written representations or evidence or other document received after the close of the inquiry.

    (4) If, after the close of the inquiry, an inspector proposes to take into consideration any new evidence or any new matter of fact which was not raised at the inquiry, and which he considers to be material to his decision, he shall not come to a decision without first - 

and they shall ensure that such written representations are received by the Secretary of State within three weeks of the date of the notification.

    (5) An inspector may, if he thinks fit, cause an inquiry to be re-opened, and he shall do so if asked by the appellant or the Agency in the circumstances and within the period mentioned in paragraph (4); and where an inquiry is re-opened - 

Notification of decision - appeals determined by the Secretary of State
    
54.  - (1) This regulation applies where an inquiry has been held for the purposes of any appeal to be determined by the Secretary of State.

    (2) The Secretary of State shall, as soon as practicable, notify her decision on an appeal, and her reasons for it, in writing to - 

    (3) Where a copy of the inspector's report is not sent with the notification of the decision, the notification shall be accompanied by a statement of his conclusions and of any recommendations made by him, and if a person entitled to be notified of the decision has not received a copy of that report, he shall be supplied with a copy of it on written application to the Secretary of State.

    (4) In this regulation, "report" includes any assessor's report appended to the inspector's report but not any other documents so appended; but any person who has received a copy of the report may apply to the Secretary of State, in writing, within six weeks of the date of the Secretary of State's decision, for an opportunity of inspecting such documents, and the Secretary of State shall afford him such an opportunity.

    (5) Any person applying to the Secretary of State under paragraph (3) or (4) shall ensure that his application is received by the Secretary of State within four weeks of the Secretary of State's determination.

Notification of decision - transferred appeals
    
55.  - (1) This regulation applies where an inquiry has been held for the purposes of a transferred appeal.

    (2) The inspector shall, as soon as practicable, notify his decision on the appeal, and his reasons for it, in writing to - 

    (3) Any person entitled to be notified of the inspector's decision under paragraph (2) may apply to the Secretary of State in writing for an opportunity to inspect any documents listed in the notification and any report made by an assessor, and the Secretary of State shall afford him that opportunity.

    (4) Any person making an application pursuant to paragraph (3) shall ensure that it is received by the Secretary of State within six weeks of the date of the decision.



CHAPTER V

General

Further time and additional copies
    
56.  - (1) The Secretary of State may, at any time and in any particular case, give directions setting later time limits than those prescribed by these Regulations for the taking of any step or the doing of any thing which is required or enabled to be taken or done by virtue of these Regulations; and references in these Regulations to a period within which any step or thing is required or enabled to be taken or done shall be construed accordingly.

    (2) The Secretary of State may, at any time before the notification of her decision (in the case of an appeal to be determined by way of written representations), or (in the case of a hearing or inquiry) before the close of the hearing or inquiry, request from any person making written representations or appearing at the hearing or inquiry (as the case may be) - 

Inspection and copying of documents
    
57. The Agency shall afford any person who so requests, an opportunity, at such time and place as the Agency may reasonably determine, to inspect and, where practicable, take copies of - 

Changes of procedure
    
58.  - (1) If, at any time before the Secretary of State or the inspector, in either case under regulation 27, notifies her or (as the case may be) his decision on an appeal, the appellant, the Agency or the Secretary of State wishes the appeal to be determined no longer by way of written representations but instead by way of a hearing or inquiry, the Secretary of State shall arrange for the appeal to proceed by way of a hearing or inquiry.

    (2) Paragraphs (3) and (4) apply at any time before the Secretary of State, under regulation 38 or 54, or an inspector, under regulation 39 or 55, notifies her or (as the case may be) his decision on an appeal.

    (3) If the appellant or the Agency wishes an appeal to be determined no longer by way of a hearing or inquiry but instead by way of written representations, the Secretary of State shall consult the other party, and, if both that party and the Secretary of State agree to such a change in procedure, the Secretary of State shall arrange for the appeal to be determined by way of written representations.

    (4) If the appellant, the Agency or the Secretary of State wishes an appeal to be determined - 

    (5) Where the appeal procedure is changed by the Secretary of State under this regulation - 

Recovery of jurisdiction
    
59. Where the appointment of an appointed person is revoked under paragraph 2(c) of Schedule 3 to the Act and no new appointment is made at the time of such revocation, the appeal shall proceed as an appeal which falls to be determined by the Secretary of State instead of as a transferred appeal, and any step taken or thing done under these Regulations in relation to the transferred appeal which could have been taken or done in relation to an appeal which falls to be determined by the Secretary of State shall have effect as if it had been taken or done in relation to such an appeal.

Procedure following quashing of a decision
    
60.  - (1) Where the decision of the Secretary of State or an inspector in respect of an appeal is quashed in proceedings before any court, the Secretary of State - 

and, where she re-opens the hearing or inquiry, paragraphs (2), (5) and (6) of regulation 28 and paragraphs (3), (6) and (7) of regulation 43 shall apply as if the references to a hearing or inquiry were to a re-opened hearing or inquiry, respectively.

    (2) Those persons making representations or asking for the inquiry to be re-opened under paragraph (1)(b) shall ensure that such representations or requests are received by the Secretary of State within three weeks of the date of the written statement sent under paragraph (1)(a).

Use of electronic communications
    
61.  - (1) Any requirement imposed by or under these Regulations as to the giving or sending by one person to another of a notice or other document may be met by means of an electronic communication if - 

    (2) Where under paragraph (1) an electronic communication is used for the purposes of giving or sending a notice or document - 

    (3) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(a), "in all material respects" means in all respects material to an exact reproduction of the content of the information as it would appear in a notice or document given or sent in printed form.

    (4) In this regulation - 


Alun Michael
Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

7th July 2002



SCHEDULE
regulation 8


PERSONS TO BE SENT REDUCED SCALE MAPS




PART I

PERSONS TO BE SENT REDUCED SCALE MAPS DERIVED FROM PROVISIONAL MAPS

     1. The following persons exercising functions for the area of land to which the map relates - 

     2. Other persons - 



PART II

PERSONS TO BE SENT REDUCED SCALE MAPS DERIVED FROMCONCLUSIVE MAPS

     1. The following persons exercising functions for the area of land to which the map relates - 

     2. Other persons - 



EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)


The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 ("the Act") established a new regime for access to the Countryside. Under Part I of that Act maps prepared by the Countryside Agency ("the Agency") will show registered common land and open country. The Access to the Countryside (Maps in Draft Form) (England) Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/3301) made provision (in relation to England) for the preparation of, and consultation on, maps issued in draft form under that Part of the Act.

These Regulations, which extend to England only, make provision in respect of the publication of maps issued in provisional and conclusive form (referred to in these Regulations as "provisonal maps" and "conclusive maps" respectively). A provisional map is a map which was issued in draft form by the Agency in accordance with the Draft Maps Regulations, has been confirmed by the Agency (with or without modifications) and has been issued by the Agency in provisional form under section 5(d) or (e) of the Act. A conclusive map is a map issued by the Agency in conclusive form under section 9 of the Act.

Part II of these Regulations (regulations 3 to 14) contain provisions relating to the scale of provisional and conclusive maps, the informing of the public of the issue of such maps and of where they may be inspected, the obtaining by the public of "reduced scale maps" (copies of provisional or conclusive maps on a smaller scale) and for these maps to be made available by the Agency for inspection on the internet, in local authority offices, libraries and at locations where they can by compared with registers of common land.

Part III of these Regulations contains provisions relating to appeals under the Act against the showing of any land on a provisional map as registered common land or open country. It is divided into five chapters.

Chapter I (regulations 15 to 24) sets out the initial procedures which have effect irrespective of whether the appeal is to be determined on the basis of written representations or by way of a hearing or local inquiry. These procedures require an appeal to be made to the Secretary of State, on a form obtained from her, within three months of the date of issue of the provisional map in question and require the Secretary of State to notify the appellant and the Agency of the method by which the appeal is to be determined and of various other procedural matters. The Agency and the appellant are each required to submit a statement containing full particulars of their case to the Secretary of State and are entitled to submit comments to the Secretary of State on each other's statement and on any representations made to the Secretary of State by any other person in respect of the appeal. Time limits are prescribed for the submission of all such documents.

Chapter II (regulations 25 to 27) sets out procedures to be followed where an appeal is to be determined on the basis of written representations, and includes a requirement relating to the notification by the Secretary of State or an inspector of their decision on the appeal and the reasons for it.

Chapter III (regulations 28 to 39) sets out procedures to be followed where an appeal is to be determined by way of a hearing and includes provisions relating to the giving of notice in respect of a hearing, the procedures to be followed during and after hearing and the notification by the Secretary of State or an inspector of their decision on the appeal and the reasons for it.

Chapter IV (regulations 40 to 55) sets out the procedures to be followed where an appeal is to be determined by way of a local inquiry and includes provisions relating to pre-inquiry meetings, the giving of notice in respect of an inquiry, proofs of evidence, statements of common ground, the procedure to be followed during and after the inquiry and the notification by the Secretary of State or an inspector of their decision on the appeal and the reasons for it.

Chapter V (regulations 56 to 61) contains general provisions relating to all appeals, including power for the Secretary of State to set later time limits than those prescribed by the Regulations for the taking of any step required by the Regulations and a requirement for the Agency to afford persons an opportunity to inspect and take copies of various documents relating to appeals. Provision is also made for the method of appeal to be changed by the Secretary of State, in certain circumstances, during the course of an appeal. Where a decision of the Secretary of State or an inspector on an appeal is quashed by a court, provision is made for any person who appeared at the hearing or local inquiry, or who made representations in respect of the appeal, to make further written representations for the purpose of the further consideration of the appeal by the Secretary of State or to ask for the re-opening of the hearing or local inquiry. In addition, the use of electronic communications is permitted for the purposes of the Regulations.


Notes:

[1] see, in section 45(1), the definition of "prescribed".back

[2] 2000 c. 37.back

[3] Regulations made by the Secretary of State may be made only as respects England: see section 45(1) for the meaning of "regulations".back

[4] 1972 c. 70.back

[5] By virtue of section 45(3) of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, the Broads (as defined in section 45(4) of that Act), are to be treated as a National Park and the Broads Authority as a National Park authority.back

[6] Section 225(1) and section 228 have effect as if a National Park authority were a local authority, by virtue of the Environment Act 1995 (c. 25), section 63(5) and Schedule 7, paragraph 17(2).back

[7] Section 228 has amendments which are not relevant to these Regulations.back

[8] 1964 c. 75; see section 206 of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended by the Local Government Act 1985 (c. 51), section 102(2) and Schedule 17) as to local authorities and library authorities in relation to England for the purposes of the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964.back

[9] 1965 c. 64.back

[10] see section 2 of the Commons Registration Act 1965 (as amended by the Local Government Act 1972, section 272(1) and Schedule 30 and the Local Government Act 1985, section 16 and Schedule 8, paragraph 10).back

[11] 2000 c. 7.back



ISBN 0 11 042442 5


  Prepared 9 July 2002


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