Deposits made under Section 31(6) of the Highways Act 1980

Section 31(6) of the Highways Act 1980 provides a way which landowners, tenants for life and trustees can protect their land from public rights of way coming into existence across it as a result of public use.  It requires the deposit of a map and statement with the County Council outlining the extent of the land in their ownership and showing those public rights of way and highways which cross it.  In order to continue this protection, a landowner must deposit a statutory declaration with the County Council within 10 years of the deposit of a map and statement or any subsequent statutory declaration.

This may, from the date of deposit of the initial map and statement, protect the landowner from any routes being claimed as public rights of way across their land through public use.

This website contains the County Council’s guidance notes for the deposit of maps, statements and statutory declarations, which provide information on the process and may assist you in preparing your own deposits.  It also includes a register of all of the maps, statements and statutory declarations received by the County Council.