Under the Data Protection Act 1998, we have a legal duty to inform you about (and protect) any personal information we collect from you. The following information is our policy at this time. This policy may be subject to change and any changes will be promulgated as updates to this page.

The Open Access website and its associated Restrictions Casework System is operated by Natural England, a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This privacy policy applies to the Open Access website: 

We provide anonymous access.  You can access our website’s home page and browse our sites without disclosing your personal data.  The Open Access website does not automatically store or capture personal information nor do we link information automatically logged by other means with data about specific individuals.

In common with most websites we have access logs. These logs record a user’s IP address and browser and are aggregated to produce summary information.  We also use IBM SurfAid statistics tracking on all pages.  This tracking causes the user’s browser to load a very small picture from the SurfAid server and allow statistics about the popularity of the website to be compiled. Log files do not contain any personal information.

The Open Access website is an interactive, dynamic site.  It uses sessions to remember which function a user is employing.  Sessions work by using a temporary cookie in the browser, and are required to ensure the server knows which browser is which.  The temporary cookie is automatically removed when a user closes the browser, or the session expires after 30 minutes of inactivity.

We collect different kinds of information or personal data that you may volunteer while using the Open Access website and Restrictions Casework Service. This information will vary depending upon which pages or services are used. Users who register with us (landowners and managers, for example) will be required to provide us with a name, postal address and email address. 

If you send us an email or make telephone contact asking for information or help, please note that we may need to contact another Department or organisation to get the information you need. We do not pass on any of your personal information when dealing with your enquiry, unless you have given us permission to do so.

We do not give visitors to our website the option of using a secure transmission method to send us their personal data. We implement security policies, rules and technical measures to protect the personal data that we have under our control from: unauthorised access, use, disclosure or modification; and unlawful destruction or accidental loss.

All members of staff that have access to, and are associated with the processing of personal data, are obliged to respect the confidentiality of that personal data.

In determining the need for (or entitlement to) a restriction to public access, we receive a variety of information from a number of sources, including:

• the original application, together with any documents of support or objection,
• notifications of discretionary restriction/exclusion,
• consultation, research and risk assessment, and
• additional information from the applicant.

The type of personal information varies but includes:

• Details of name and address
• Information relating to land ownership
• Information relating to expressed opinions or intentions in respect of operations, events, risks or dangers on specific areas of land

In accordance with current statutory obligations, most information received will be made accessible to the public.   We ensure that your personal data will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act and will not be disclosed except in connection with the processing of restrictions and notifications or if required by law or other regulation. We will:

• Only use the information for the purpose of dealing with and considering the relevant restriction;
• Only hold the information for as long as is reasonably necessary. Some information might be held for periods in excess of 5 years.

Your responsibilities:

• Regulations require that persons notifying us of an intention to restrict, or applying to restrict CROW access rights, provide us with certain personal data.  Only provide personal information, other than that required by regulation, if you are happy for it to be placed in the public domain.
• Do not include personal information about another third party (including family members) unless you have told the individual concerned and they consent to it being supplied.
• Tell us as soon as possible if any of the personal information you have provided should change.

Data collection and purpose specification

• We collect the personal data that you may volunteer while using our services.
• We do not collect information about our visitors from other sources.
• If we wish to use your personal data for a new purpose, other than that for which it was originally supplied, we are required by law to ask you first.
• We may employ external companies to act on our behalf as data processors.  Data processors will abide by the Privacy Policy detailed here.

Your rights to access personal data

For any enquiry or concern about our privacy policy, or to request access to your personal data contact:

If you ask for a copy of your personal data, we have to provide you with a readable copy of the personal data that we keep about you within 40 days. Evidence of proof of your identity will be required.

It is both in our interest and yours to hold accurate data. If the data we hold on you is inaccurate in any way you may, where appropriate, have the data erased, rectified or amended.

Dispute

Browser

A software application used to locate and display web pages.

Cookie

Message given to a web browser by a web server. The browser then stores the message and each time the browser requests a page from the server, this message is sent back. A cookie's main objective is to identify users and personalise their visit by customising web pages for them, for example by welcoming them by name next time they visit the same site. A site using cookies will usually invite you to provide personal information such as your name, email address and interests.

IP (Internet Protocol)

All networks connected to the Internet communicate via IP, the technical standard that allows data to be transmitted between two host computers. TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is responsible for making sure messages get from one host to another and that the messages are understood.

IP address

Every computer connected to the Internet will have an IP address.

Web Server

Delivers (serves up) web pages to your computer