§ Baroness Byfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the letter of 17 April from Alun Michael MP to Baroness Byford concerning the "very large number of comments" on the first draft maps of open country and registered common land in England, whether later parts of the programme might attract fewer comments if:
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- (a) draft maps showed existing access restrictions, for instance on Ministry of Defence land;
- (b) the definition of improved or semi-improved grassland were to be widened to cover more than simply agricultural improvement; and
- (c) the definition of heathland were to exclude dense naturally regenerating trees. [HL4718]
§ Lord WhittyWe welcome the large number of comments on the agency's draft maps for part of the South East and the lower North West of England, which show the high level of public engagement in the consultation.
The purpose of the draft map is to invite comments on whether land is correctly shown on the map as open country or registered common land. While a number of different suggestions have been made, Ministers have looked at the agency's approach and agree with the agency's view that the inclusion of other information, such as existing rights of access or restrictions on access under Ministry of Defence bylaws, would distract people from considering whether the land is correctly shown on the draft map. For example, land managers might fail to object to the classification of land as open country because military by-laws already restrict access. They would then have no further opportunity to object to its classification if the by-laws were subsequently revoked and the land were opened to access.
The agency expects to draw up advisory maps which will show open country and registered common land in the context of other useful information, such as known substantial areas of excepted land, land subject to long-term restrictions and exclusions and land with existing rights of access which will help people to interpret the information shown on conclusive maps.
The agency will look at the criteria for mapping open country (which are set out in its mapping methodology) as it proceeds with assessing the comments made to it on the draft maps for the lead mapping regions, including comments similar to those made by the noble Baroness. Any amendments to the criteria will be reflected in the provisional maps for these two regions and in the draft maps issued for subsequent regions.