Under Section 31 (6) of the Highways Act 1980, landowners can deposit a statement and plan which shows any public rights the landowner acknowledges on their land. Landowners may then, within 20 years submit a statement to declare that no other public rights have been dedicated over the land, though lodging a deposit does not affect any right of way which may have been acquired through public use prior to the date of the deposit. This declaration is sufficient to negate any claims of public rights during that time.
New legislation came into force on 1st October 2013 which made changes to the way in which landowners make deposits under Section 31 (6) of the Highways Act 1980.
The changes include:
- the requirement for landowners to complete an application form instead of a statement and statutory declaration
- the introduction of a fee for processing deposits
- the increase of the deposit renewal period from 10 to 20 years for deposits submitted after 1st October 2013
- the requirement for the authority to erect notices informing the public of the deposit.
There is also the provision within the application form to make a combined deposit providing evidence to negative claims for rights of way under the Highways Act 1980 and town / village green claims under the Commons Act 2006.
2020 - Home Farm and Hayes Park, Hayes End Road, Hayes, Middlesex
2018 - Holding known as land at Manor Farm, Ickenham, Middlesex
2018 - Land on the east side of Breakspear Road South, Harefield, Middlesex
2018 - Land to the rear of Ruislip Pumping Station, Ducks Hill Road, Ruislip, Middlesex
2016 - Colney Farm, Park Lane, Harefield, Middlesex
2013 - St John's School, Potter Street Hill, Northwood, Middlesex
2013 - Land to the south of Clovelly Avenue, Ickenham, Middlesex
2011 - Northolt Estate, Sharvel Lane, Ruislip, Middlesex
2011 - Land at Kewferry Hill, Rickmansworth Road, Middlesex