Definitive Map Orders: Consistency Guidelines
Section 5 - Dedication / User evidence
REFERENCE MATERIAL
Statutes
Law of Property Act 1925 section 193
Rights of Way Act 1932
National Trust Act 1939
Countryside Act 1968 section 30
Highways Act 1980 section 31
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 sections 53(3)(b), 53(3)(c) and 66(1)
Road Traffic Act 1988
Charities Act 1993 section 36
Case Law
Poole v Huskinson (1843) 11 M & W 827 - common law dedication – intention to dedicate – interruption – limited dedication
Hollins v Verney 1854 - sufficiency of user
Dawes v Hawkins [1860] 8 CB (NS) 848 - no time limit on dedication – once a highway etc
Mann v Brodie 1885 - common law dedication – sufficiency of user – presumption – Scottish law – (Lord Blackburn on the difference of English law)
R v Residents of Southampton 1887 – ‘the public’
Sherrington UDC v Holsey 1904 - physical character of a way
Thornhill v Weekes (1914) 78 JP 154 - physical character of a way
Moser v Ambleside RDC (1925) 89 JP 59 - effect of ancient maps, modern – culs-de-sac surveys, interruptions, noticeboards – pleasure user
Hue v Whiteley [1929] 1 Ch 440 - ‘as of right’
Merstham Manor v Coulsdon and Purley UDC [1937] 2 KB 77 – ROW Act 1932 – ‘as of right’ – ‘without interruptions’
Jones v Bates [1938] 2 All ER 237 - dedication at common law – meaning of as of right (ROW Act 1932) – burden of proof – bringing into question
Lewis v Thomas 1950 1 KB 438 - interruption – intention to dedicate
Fairey v Southampton County Council [1956] 2 QB 439 – whether ROW Act 1932 is retrospective – intention to dedicate – differentiation between common law/statute law dedication – burden of proof
Davis v Whitby [1974] 1 All ER 806 - 20 years user
Dyfed County Council v SSW (1989) 58 P & CR 68 – use of foreshore for recreational activities
British Transport Commission v Westmorland County Council [1957] 2 All ER 353 – dedication must be compatible with purpose of land held
R v SSE ex parte Cowell [1993] JPEL 851 - Toll – annual manifestation of non-dedication
Jaques v SSE [1995] JPEL 1031 - common law dedication – true construction of S31 HA80 – no intention to dedicate – burden of proof – effect of requisitioning
Robinson v Adair (1995) Times 2 March 1995 -illegal vehicular user post 1930 – effect in relation to s31(1) HA80
Stevens v SSETR (1998) 76 P & CR 503 - rights along RUPPs – effect of Road Traffic Act 1930 on vehicular user evidence
R v SSE ex parte Billson [1998] 2 All ER 587 - duration of no intention to dedicate - rights over common land
R v Isle of Wight CC ex parte O’Keefe 1997 unreported (QBCOF 94/1223/D) – evidence of intention – meaning of as of right
R v Wiltshire CC ex parte Nettlecombe [1998] JPEL 707 – definition of BOAT – current user
Masters v SSE [2000] 4 All ER 458 (CA) - definition of BOAT – balance of predominant user - 1929 Handover map – OS maps
R v Oxfordshire CC ex parte Sunningwell PC [1999] 3 All ER 385 – history of prescription of dedication – belief element of as of right
R v SSETR ex parte Dorset CC [1999] NPC.72 - bringing into question – no intention to dedicate
Buckland and Capel v SSETR [2000] 3 All ER 205 - meaning of BOAT – discourse on Nettlecombe and Masters judgments
Masters v SSETR [2001] QB 151 (CA) - Court of Appeal judgment on meaning of BOAT
R v Planning Inspectorate Cardiff ex parte Howell (2000) unreported – vehicular use post 1930 (see also Robinson v Adair; and Stevens v SSETR)
Rowley and Cannock Gates Ltd v SSTLR [2002] EWHC (Admin) – positive actions of a tenant
R v City of Sunderland ex parte Beresford 2003 UKHL 60 – the proposition that use pursuant to permission given by the landowner is always precario is not correct. Also toleration equates with acquiescence; not permission
Bakewell Management Ltd v Brandwood [2004] UKHL 14 – presumed dedication of a public vehicular right of way
R (on the Application of Godmanchester Town Council) (Appellants) v SSEFRA and R (on the application of Drain) (Appellant) v SSEFRA [2007 UKHL 28 – lack of intention to dedicate – overt acts by the landowner to be directed at users of the way – duration of no intention to dedicate
Planning Inspectorate Guidance
Rights of Way Advice Note No.12 – Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 – Vehicles and Rights of Way
Other Publications
Halsbury’s Laws of England Vol.21 paragraphs 65-86
‘Rights of Way: A guide to law and practice’ by John Riddall and John Trevelyan (published by the Open Spaces Society and the Ramblers’ Association)
The following, articles which are of interest, have appeared in the RWLR
Section 31 of the Highways Act 1980’ - David Braham - Oct 1990 (Section 6.3)
Section 31: update’ - David Braham - April 1998 (Section 6.3)
Dedication: the common law approach’ - David Braham - Oct 1991 (Section 6.2)
Public Access to Common Land’ - Gerard Ryan – Jan 1995 (Section 15.4)
Section 5 continued on next page ![]()
(January 2008)
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