Re-routing footpath - is this allowed?

[wiglet]

I usually walk to my yard, it takes 5 minutes, I go on footpaths down the sides of farmers fields. The last bit is a footpath that is diagonally through a field that belongs to a house.

The owners have decided to reroute the path around the perimeter of the field. It’s a big field and adds a good 10 minutes onto my journey.

They have form for this sort of thing and often try to put people off walking through their field by locking or making gates awkward to open.

Is it legal to reroute a footpath? I can email the footpath access people but do I have a point if the access is still there? It’s just the inconvenience of it really.

Anyone?

 

[Goldenstar]

Yes it’s possible to reroute footpaths using public path order these can be temporary or permanent ..

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

It is only legal to reroute a footpath with the correct PP, which includes consultation. So I guess that the answer to your question is 'No'

 

[splashgirl45]

My friend managed to get permission to re route a footpath which went across the middle of his field by saying he was concerned for the safety of walkers as so many of them had been feeding his horses which meant that as soon as they saw the walkers the horses galloped over to them, and he was concerned that the walkers would get injured..

 

[tda]

They definitely need planning permission for that

 

[cauda equina]

Unless the landowner has got permission from the council to divert it you are entitled to carry on using the footpath as before, never mind where the landowner says it goes

 

[teacups]

No, they can’t just do that if it’s a public footpath. The ramblers website will have good information about what is/isn’t permitted, and what landowners should or should not do.

 

[paddy555]

they would have had to get permission so presumably there would have been signs, PP requests etc on the old FP saying they were requesting permission, any objections etc etc. If you do this journey often you would have seen these.

 

[blitznbobs]

Its not planning permission but you do need permission from the footpath people at the council but they are usually pretty willing to move them for this kind of reason - there is a long wait though

 

[Dave's Mam]

This needs a DMMO Definitive Map Modification Order & there would be notices & consultation. It's not a quick process.

 

[Sossigpoker]

They can't just go and do it. They'd need to engage with the council first and they'd put a deviation notice along the path , bit like for planning permission.
So sounds like they've just done it
You can report it to the council as an obstruction on a right of way if you can't follow the actual footpath.

 

[teapot]

Yes they can be legally moved.

 

[Griffin]

I would report it on your local council's website (there will be a section for Public Rights of Way). If it's a legal diversion, they will let you know.

 

[limestonelil]

OP, the field owner can't legally re-route just because they want to. Definitely not. Permission from council via definitive maps is needed.

 

[PeterNatt]

The landowners would have to apply to the Rights of Way Department of the County Council to change the line of the Footpath and if this was done then notices would have to be placed at either end of the footpath so that a public consultation could take place. I would suggest that in your case this has been done illegally and it is easy to check by looking at the on-line definative map of your County Council and looking at the line of the path. Having determined this is the case then i would contact the Definative Map Officer of the Rights of Way Department of your County Council and ask them to take immediate enfocement action against the landowner. If you require any assistance then contact me peter.natt@btinternet.com

 

[wiglet]

Thanks everyone. I have now reported the issue to Rights of Way Dept of my County Council. I will update on the action taken... hopefully soon. In the meantime, I will continue to walk my usual route through the middle of the field.