Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

except after complying with the requirements of sub-paragraph (2).

• (2) The said requirements are that the Secretary of State shall—

• (a) give such notice as appears to him requisite of his proposal so to modify the order, specifying the time (which shall not be less than 28 days from the date of the first publication of the notice) within which, and the manner in which, representations or objections with respect to the proposal , which must include particulars of the grounds relied on, may be made;

• (b) if any representation or objection duly made is not withdrawn (but subject to sub-paragraph (3)), hold a local inquiry or afford any person by whom any such representation or objection has been made an opportunity of being heard by a person appointed by the Secretary of State for the purpose; and

• (c) consider the report of any person appointed to hold an inquiry or to hear representations or objections.

• (3) The Secretary of State may, but need not, act as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2)(b) if, in his opinion, no representation or objection which has been duly made and not withdrawn relates to an issue which would be relevant in determining whether or not to confirm the order in accordance with his proposal.

• (4) Sub-paragraph (2)(a) shall not be construed as limiting the grounds which may be relied on at any local inquiry or hearing held under this paragraph.

Local inquiries

9

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Appointment of inspectors etc.

10

• (1) A decision of the Secretary of State under paragraph 6, 7 or 8 shall, except in such classes of case as may for the time being be prescribed or as may be specified in directions given by the Secretary of State, be made by a person appointed by the Secretary of State for the purpose instead of by the Secretary of State; and a decision made by a person so appointed shall be treated as a decision of the Secretary of State.

• (2) The Secretary of State may, if he thinks fit, direct that a decision which, by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) and apart from this sub-paragraph, falls to be made by a person appointed by the Secretary of State shall instead be made by the Secretary of State; and a direction under this sub-paragraph shall state the reasons for which it is given and shall be served on the person, if any, so appointed, the authority and any person by whom a representation or objection has been duly made and not withdrawn.

• (3) Where the Secretary of State has appointed a person to make a decision under paragraph 6, 7 or 8 the Secretary of State may, at any time before the making of the decision, appoint another person to make it instead of the person first appointed to make it.

• (4) Where by virtue of sub-paragraph (2) or (3) a particular decision falls to be made by the Secretary of State or any other person instead of the person first appointed to make it, anything done by or in relation to the latter shall be treated as having been done by or in relation to the former.

• (5) Regulations under this paragraph may provide for the giving of publicity to any directions given by the Secretary of State under this paragraph.

Hearings and local inquiries

10A

• (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), subsections (2) to (5) of section 250 of the Local Government Act 1972 (giving of evidence at, and defraying of costs of, inquiries) shall apply in relation to any hearing or local inquiry held under paragraph 7 or 8 in England as they apply in relation to a local inquiry which a Minister causes to be held under subsection (1) of that section.

• (2) In its application to a hearing or inquiry held under paragraph 7 or 8 by a person appointed under paragraph 10(1), subsection (5) of that section shall have effect as if the reference to the Minister causing the inquiry to be held were a reference to the person so appointed or the Secretary of State.

• (3) Section 322A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (orders as to costs where no hearing or inquiry takes place) shall apply in relation to a hearing or local inquiry under paragraph 7 or 8 in England as it applies in relation to a hearing or local inquiry for the purposes referred to in that section.

• (3A) Section 369 of the Planning (Wales) Act 2026 (evidence at local inquiries) applies in relation to a hearing or local inquiry under paragraph 7 or 8 in Wales as it applies in relation to a local inquiry under that Act.

• (4) Section 322C of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (costs: Wales) applies in relation to a hearing or inquiry under paragraph 7 or 8 in Wales as it applies in relation to a hearing or inquiry mentioned in that section.

Notice of final decisions on orders

11

• (1) As soon as practicable after a decision to confirm an order is made or, in the case of a decision by the Secretary of State, as soon as practicable after receiving notice of his decision, the authority shall give notice—

• (a) describing the general effect of the order as confirmed and stating that it has been confirmed (with or without modification) and the date on which it took effect; and

• (b) naming a place in the area in which the land to which the order relates is situated where a copy of the order as confirmed may be inspected free of charge, and copies thereof may be obtained at a reasonable charge, at all reasonable hours.

• (2) A notice under sub-paragraph (1) shall be given—

• (a) by publication in the manner required by paragraph 3(2)(a);

• (b) by serving a like notice on any persons on whom notices were required to be served under paragraph 3(2)(b) or (4); and

• (c) by causing like notices to be displayed in the like manner as the notices required to be displayed under paragraph 3(2)(c).

• (3) A notice required to be served by sub-paragraph (2)(b) on the owner or occupier of any land, or on a local authority, shall be accompanied by a copy of so much of the order as confirmed as relates to that land or, as the case may be, the area of that authority; and, in the case of an order which has been confirmed with modifications, a notice required to be served by that sub-paragraph on such other persons as may be prescribed or as the authority may consider appropriate shall be accompanied by a copy of the order as confirmed.

• (4) As soon as practicable after a decision not to confirm an order or, in the case of a decision by the Secretary of State, as soon as practicable after receiving notice of his decision, the authority shall give notice of the decision by serving a copy of it on any persons on whom notices were required to be served under paragraph 3(2)(b) or (4).

Proceedings for questioning validity of orders

12

• (1) If any person is aggrieved by an order which has taken effect and desires to question its validity on the ground that it is not within the powers of section 53 or 54 or that any of the requirements of this Schedule have not been complied with in relation to it, he may within 42 days from the date of publication of the notice under paragraph 11 make an application to the High Court under this paragraph.

• (2) On any such application the High Court may, if satisfied that the order is not within those powers or that the interests of the applicant have been substantially prejudiced by a failure to comply with those requirements, quash the order, or any provision of the order, either generally or in so far as it affects the interests of the applicant.

• (3) Except as provided by this paragraph, the validity of an order shall not be questioned in any legal proceedings whatsoever.

Supplemental

13

• (1) The Secretary of State may, subject to the provisions of this Schedule, by regulations make such provision as to the procedure on the making, submission and confirmation of orders as appears to him to be expedient.

• (2) In this Schedule—

• “ council offices ” means offices or buildings acquired or provided by the authority or by a local authority;

• “ local authority ” means a non-metropolitan district council , a parish . . . council or the parish meeting of a parish not having a separate parish council but, in relation to Wales, means a community council ;

• “ order ” means an order to which the provisions of this Schedule apply;

• “ prescribed ” means prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State.

• (3) Regulations under this Schedule shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

SCHEDULE 16 — Orders Creating, Extinguishing or Diverting Footpaths or Bridleways

1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Highways Act 1980

5

• (1) In subsection (1) of section 119 of the Highways Act 1980 (diversion of footpaths and bridleways) for the words from the beginning to “or on to land” there shall be substituted the words “Where it appears to a council as respects a footpath or bridleway in their area (other than one that is a trunk road or a special road) that, in the interests of the owner, lessee or occupier of land crossed by the path or way or of the public, it is expedient that the line of the path or way, or part of that line, should be diverted (whether on to land of the same or”.

• (2) In subsection (5) of that section for the words “the council may require the owner, lessee or occupier on whose representations they are acting” there sball be substituted the words “on the representations of an owner, lessee or occupier of land crossed by the path or way, the council may require him”.

6

• (1) In sub-paragraphs (1)(b) and 2(b) of paragraph I of Schedule 6 to that Act (procedure as to certain orders relating to footpaths and bridleways) after the words “free of charge” there shall be inserted the words “and copies thereof may be obtained at a reasonable charge”.

• (2) For sub-paragraph (3) of that paragraph there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraph—

(3) The notices to be given under sub-paragraph (1) or (2) above shall be given— (a) by publication in at least one local newspaper circulating in the area in which the land to which the order relates is situated ; (b) by serving a like notice on— (i) every owner, occupier and lessee (except tenants for a month or any period less than a month and statutory tenants within the meaning of the Rent (Agriculture) Act 1976 or the Rent Act 1977) of any of that land ; (ii) every council, the council of every parish or community and the parish meeting of every parish not having a separate parish council, being a council, parish or community whose area includes any of that land ; (iii) every person on whom notice is required to be served in pursuance of sub-paragraph (3A) or (3B) below ; and (iv) such other persons as may be prescribed in relation to the area in which that land is situated or as the authority or, as the case may be, the Secretary of State may consider appropriate ; and (c) by causing a copy of the notice to be displayed in a prominent position— (i) at the ends of so much of any footpath or bridleway as is created, stopped up or diverted by the order ; (ii) at council offices in the locality of the land to which the order relates ; and (iii) at such other places as the authority or, as the case may be, the Secretary of State may consider appropriate.

• (3) After that sub-paragraph there shall be inserted the following sub-paragraphs—

(3A) Any person may, on payment of such reasonable charge as the authority may consider appropriate, require an authority to give him notice of all such public path creation orders, public path extinguishment orders and public path diversion orders as are made by the authority during a specified period, are of a specified description and relate to land comprised in a specified area ; and in this sub-paragraph “ specified ” means specified in the requirement. (3B) Any person may, on payment of such reasonable charge as the Secretary of State may consider appropriate, require the Secretary of State to give him notice of all such draft public path creation orders, draft public path extinguishment orders and draft public path diversion orders as are prepared bv the Secretary of State during a specified period, are of a specified description and relate to land comprised in a specified area ; and in this sub-paragraph “ specified ” means specified in the requirement. (3C) The Secretary of State may, in any particular case, direct that it shall not be necessary to comply with sub- paragraph (3)(b)(i) above ; but if he so directs in the case of any land, then in addition to publication the notice shall be addressed to “The owners and any occupiers” of the land (describing it) and a copy or copies of the notice shall be affixed to some conspicuous object or objects on the land.

• (4) After sub-paragraph (4) of that paragraph there shall be inserted the following sub-paragraphs—

(4A) Sub-paragraph (3)(b) and (c) and, where applicable, sub-paragraphs (3C) and (4) above shall be complied with not less than 28 days before the expiration of the time specified in the notice. (4B) A notice required to be served by sub-paragraph (3)(b)(i), (ii) or (iv) above shall be accompanied by a copy of the order. (4C) A notice required to be displayed by sub-paragraph (3)(c)(i) above at the ends of so much of any way as is affected by the order shall be accompanied by a plan showing the general effect of the order so far as it relates to that way. (4D) In sub-paragraph (3)(c)(ii) above “council offices” means offices or buildings acquired or provided by a council or by the council of a parish or community or the parish meeting of a parish not having a separate parish council.

7

After paragraph 2 of that Schedule there shall be inserted the following paragraph—

(2A) (1) A decision of the Secretary of State under paragraph 2 above as respects an order made by an authority other than the Secretary of State shall, except in such classes of case as may for the tim,- being be prescribed or as may be specified in directions given by the Secretary of State, be made by a person appointed by the Secretary of State for the purpose instead of by the Secretary of State ; and a decision made by a person so appointed shall be treated as a decision of the Secretary of State. (2) The Secretary of State may, if he thinks fit, direct that a decision which, by virtue of sub-paragraph (1) above and apart from this sub-paragraph, fahs to be made by a person appointed by the Secretary of State shall instead be made by the Secretary of State; and a direction under this sub-paragraph shall state the reasons for which it is given and shall be served on the person, if any, so appointed, the authority and any person by whom a representation or objection has been duly made and not withdrawn. (3) Where the Secretary of State has appointed a person to make a decision under paragraph 2 above the Secretary of State may, at any time before the making of the decision, appoint another person to make it instead of the person first appointed to make it. (4) Where by virtue of sub-paragraph (2) or (3) above a particular decision falls to be made by the Secretary of State or any other person instead of the person first appointed to make it, anything done by or in relation to the latter shall be treated as having been done by or in relation to the former. (5) Provision may be made by regulations of the Secretary of State for the giving of publicity to any directions given by the Secretary of State under this paragraph.

8

• (1) In paragraph 4 of that Schedule after the words “free of charge” there shall be inserted the words “and copies thereof may be obtained at a reasonable charge” and for heads (a) and (b) there shall be substituted the following heads—

(a) serve a like notice on any persons on whom notices were required to be served under paragraph 1(3)(b), (3C) or (4) above ; and (b) cause like notices to be displayed in the like manner as the notices caused to be displayed under paragraph 1(3)(c) above;

• (2) That paragraph as so amended shall be renumbered as paragraph 4(1) of that Schedule and after that provision as so renumbered there shall be inserted the following sub-paragraphs—

(2) A notice required to be served by sub-paragraph (1)(a) above, on— (a) a person on whom notice was required to be served by paragraph 1(3)(b)(i) or (ii) above , or (b) in the case of an order which has been confirmed or made with modifications, a person on whom notice was required to be served by paragraph 1(3)(b)(iv) above, shall be accompanied by a copy of the order as confirmed or made. (3) As soon as may be after a decision not to confirm an order to which this Schedule applies, the authority by whom the order was made shall give notice of the decision by serving a copy of it on any persons on whom notices were required to be served under paragraph 1(3)(b), (3C) or (4) above.

9

After that paragraph there shall be inserted the following paragraph—

(4A) As soon as may be after an order to which this Schedule applies has come into operation otherwise than— (a) on the date on which it was confirmed or made by the Secretary of State or confinned as an unopposed order ; or (b) at the expiration of a specified period beginning with that date, the authority by whom the order was made or, in the case of an order made by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of State shall give notice of its coming into operation by publication in at least one local newspaper circulating in the area in which the land to which the order relates is situated.

Supplemental

10

• (1) The amendments made by the foregoing provisions of this Schedule shall not apply in relation to any order if it was made or a draft thereof was prepared, or a notice relating to it was given under paragraph 1 of the relevant Schedule, before the commencement date.

• (2) Any reference in this paragraph to Schedule 6 to the Highways Act 1980 includes a reference to that Schedule as applied by paragraph 3 of the provisions of Part I of Schedule 3 to the 1968 Act which relate to the Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure) Act 1946.

SCHEDULE 17 — Enactments repealed

Part I — Enactments repealed one month after the passing of this Act

Chapter	Short title	Extent of repeal
12, 13 & 14 Geo. 6. c. 97.	The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.	Section 23.
1968 c. 41.	The Countryside Act 1968.	Section 14.
		In section 15(1) the words “which is not for the time being managed as a nature reserve but”.
1973 c. 37.	The Water Act 1973.	In section 22(3) the words “not being land for the time being managed as a nature reserve”.
1973 c. 54.	The Nature Conservancy Council Act 1973.	Section 3.
1973 c. 65.	The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.	In Schedule 27, in Part II, paragraph 101.
1980 c. 66.	The Highways Act 1980.	In section 134, subsection (3) and in subsection (5) the words “(3) or”.
		In section 135(1), the words “6 or” and “6 weeks or”.

Part II — Enactments repealed on a day to be appointed

Chapter	Short title	Extent of repeal
2 & 3 Geo. 5. c. 14	The Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912.	In section 9 the words “or any snare” and “or snare”.
12, 13 & 14 Geo. 6. c. 97.	The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.	Sections 2 and 4.
		Sections 27 to 35.
		Section 38.
		Section 95.
2 & 3 Eliz. 2. c. 30.	The Protection of Birds Act 1954.	The whole Act.
1963 c. 33.	The London Government Act 1963.	In section 60, subsections (1) to (4).
1963 c. 36	The Deer Act 1963.	In Schedule 2, in paragraph 1 the words “of less guage than 12 bore” and in paragraph 4 the words from “other than” onwards.
1964 c. 59.	The Protection of Birds Act 1954 (Amendment) Act 1964.	The whole Act.
1967 c. 46.	The Protection of Birds Act 1967.	The whole Act.
1968 c. 41.	The Countryside Act 1968.	In section 1, subsection (4) and, in subsection (5), the words “and 2(1)” and the words “and in section 4(1)” onwards.
		Section 3.
		In Schedule 3, in Part I, the entry relating to the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, and Parts II, III and IV.
1970 c. 30.	The Conservation of Seals Act 1970.	In section 10(1)(c), the word “or” immediately following sub-paragraph (ii).
1971 c. 23.	The Courts Act 1971.	In Schedule 8, paragraph 31.
		In Schedule 9, in Part II, the entry relating to section 31 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.
1971 c. 78.	The Town and Country Planning Act 1971.	In Schedule 20, in paragraph 1(2)(a), the words “in the London Gazette and”.
1972 c. 70.	The Local Government Act 1972.	In Schedule 17, paragraphs 22 to 33.
		In Schedule 29, paragraph 37.
1973 c. 37.	The Water Act 1973.	In Schedule 8, paragraph 67.
1973 c. 54.	The Nature Conservancy Council Act 1973.	In section 5(3) the words from the beginning to “save as aforesaid”.
1973 c. 57.	The Badgers Act 1973.	Sections 6 and 7.
		Section 8(2)(c).
		In section 11, the definitions of “area of special protection” and “authorised person”.
1973 c. 65.	The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.	In Schedule 27, in Part II, paragraphs 115 and 168.
1975 c. 21.	The Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975.	In Schedule 7C, the entries relating to the Protection of Birds Act 1954 and the Conservation of Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act 1975.
1975 c. 48.	The Conservation of Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act 1975.	The whole Act.
1976 c. 16.	The Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1976.	In Schedule 2, in Part II, the entry relating to the Protection of Birds Act 1967.
1976 c. 72.	The Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976.	Section 13(6).
1977 c. 45.	The Criminal Law Act 1977.	In Schedule 6, the entries relating to the Protection of Birds Act 1954 and the Conservation of Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act 1975.
1979 c. 2.	The Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.	In Schedule 4, in paragraph 12, in the Table the entry relating to the Protection of Birds Act 1954.
1980 c. 66.	The Highways Act 1980.	In section 31(10) the words “or of that subsection” onwards.
		Section 340(2)(d).
1981 c. 22.	The Animal Health Act 1981.	In Schedule 5, paragraph 1.
1981 c. 37.	The Zoo Licensing Act 1981.	In section 4(5), the entries relating to the Protection of Birds Acts 1954 to 1967 and the Conservation of Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act 1975.

Editorial notes