HC Deb 13 June 2003 vol 406 c1087W
Mr. Drew

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the implications for property owners faced by environment charges for access resulting from changes in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. [117553]

Alun Michael

Regulations under section 68 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, relating to vehicular access over common and other land, prescribe the compensation sums that property owners have to pay to landowners in connection with a statutory easement under the regulations. The compensation is 0.25 per cent.-2 per cent. of the value of the property served by the vehicular access, depending on its age. In addition, property owners may face other costs, such as getting their property valued.

These costs will not arise unless the property owner chooses to make an application under the regulations They compare very favourably with the sums the property owners might have to pay if they were to negotiate the grant of an easement with the landowner outside the terms of section 68.