(Advice relevant to England and Wales only. Find information about access rights in Scotland)

As guardians of the path network, the Ramblers takes an active role ensuring new developments do not adversely affect the national network of footpaths, bridleways and byways.  

 Our local volunteer footpath officers do wonderful work checking planning applications.  Using their local knowledge and following Ramblers policies they will comment or object where appropriate.  

 

Public rights of way and planning applications  

If a public path exists on land that is subject to a planning application it must be taken into account by the authorities when deciding whether to approve the application. The authority will consider the application against national and local plans and policies. 

However, the existence of the path will not automatically stop a development. Indeed many developments can be configured to work around the path or to integrate it into the development.  If you are concerned about a planning application,  

If an application is granted permission, some paths might need to be closed temporarily while the development goes ahead but will reopen in the same position as they were before. Others might need to be diverted or closed.  

 

Help with concerns about planning applications 

Get help from your local Ramblers Group 

If there is a planning application near you that you think will impact public rights of way, please contact your local Ramblers representative directly.  

You can find their contact details on our website  or via a search engine Our volunteers will advise if they are able to take on the case.  Due to the fact they are volunteering their time for free, they are not always able to take on every case. 

 

Get general advice from the Ramblers 

We can provide advice on Ramblers policy and matters of rights of way law.   Contact us by emailing paths@ramblers.zendesk.com.  Do not use this email for local planning objections – these must be addressed to your local Ramblers group (see above).  

 

Get more general planning advice from the Countryside Charity, CPRE. 

For more general information and advice about planning applications the Countryside Charity, CPRE, has an excellent set of resources explaining the planning process and how to get involved.