Access - Mapping - Introduction

Natural England is preparing maps of all open country and registered common land in England (the Countryside Council for Wales is carrying out the same task in Wales). This is a statutory duty under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

The Process

	Production of draft maps for the whole of England, on a rolling programme. To make this easier we divided the country into eight mapping areas
	We held public consultations on all the draft maps. During each three month consultation each member of the public could submit a comment on the draft map.
	Having considered all the comments we issued a provisional map for each area. Those with a legal interest in a parcel of land (such as land owners, tenants and those with sporting rights) were able to appeal to the Secretary of State.
	When decisions have been made on appeals in an area, the provisional map is amended and the map is issued in conclusive form.
	The final conclusive map was issued on 16th August 2005. Access rights for the whole of England came in to force on 31st October 2005. Following legal challenges on decisions relating to two parcels of land in Buckinghamshire, taken during the original area 7 mapping process, we are repeating the process from the Draft Map consultation stage. The consultation will be solely for the 2 parcels of land situated at Richmore Hill and Grays Lane Bank in Buckinghamshire. For more information and to see the Draft Map please click here.