Section 15 land
Certain access rights that existed prior to the CROW Act apply instead of the CROW rights where they overlap with mapped open country, registered common land or land dedicated for access under Section 16 of the Act. This was provided for in Section 15 of the CROW Act, which listed the types of pre-existing open access right that should prevail over CROW rights in this way.
Maps of land that we consider to be subject to section 15 rights (“S15 land”) can be viewed as explained in the FAQ's below. These maps are not definitive, but represent our informed view based on available evidence of where such rights exist. The original legal documentation on which we have based this view is usually available from the National Archives, the House of Lords libraries or relevant local authorities.
Since CROW rights do not apply on these areas, land owners and managers cannot use CROW restrictions on these areas. They may have their own byelaws or other statutory controls to manage their access arrangements. To find out more information about an individual enactment, associated rights and any local byelaws, we suggest you contact your local authority in the first instance.
You can find out more about CROW Section 15 land by viewing the Section 15 FAQ's here: (48kb)
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