Section 31 deposits
Section 31 deposits are deposit and declaration documents made by the landowner to show the clear intention not to dedicate any additional routes on their land. The Countryside Rights of Way Act 2001 requires the landowner deposits to be available to the public.
Landowner Statements Section 31(6) and Section 15A Commons Act 2006
Applications for Highways Deposits of Statements and Maps & Declarations can be submitted to us under Section 31(6) Highways Act 1980 and landowner statements under Section 15A Commons Act 2006.
Application requirements
Completion of the application form as prescribed by Schedule 1 to the 2013 Regulations. Please see DEFRA's guidance notes.
The form must be signed by every owner (or by their duly authorised representative) of the land to which the application relates, or by the secretary or some other duly authorised officer.
The form must be accompanied by an ordnance map at a scale not less than 1:10,560 (except where the application refers to a map which accompanied a previously deposited statement or declaration with the authority) showing the boundary of the land to which the application relates in coloured edging.
Fees
A fee of £411.30 per application will be charged, which includes the placing of one notice on site. You can pay online or we will invoice you on receipt of your application.
If paying online, please select ‘Miscellaneous’, ‘Rights of way’ and then ‘Section 31’.
Pay online for a Section 31 application
Acknowledgement of the application
On receipt of the application, we will check whether the application has been ‘duly made’.
An application will be treated as having been ‘duly made’ if it is:
- in the form prescribed by Schedule 1 to the 2013 Regulations, or in a form substantially to the same effect with such insertions or omissions as are necessary in any particular case
- signed by every owner (or by their duly authorised representative) of the land to which the application relates
- accompanied by an ordnance map at a scale not less than 1:10,560 (except where the application refers to a map which accompanied a previously deposited statement or declaration with the county council) showing the boundary of the land in coloured edging
If the requirements have not been complied with, then the application will not be ‘duly made’ and we will be under no obligation either to acknowledge the ‘application’ or to process it further. If this is the case, we will return the application form to you.
If the statement or map in question contains a material error, this could invalidate the application in whole or in part, and we may remove any entry made in the register. In this situation, we're required to give 28 days notice of the removal.
If the requirements have been complied with, we will:
- accept and acknowledge the application
- post a notice at least 1 entry point to each parcel of land
- publish the application on our website
- send email notifications to every person / organisation who have requested to be informed of applications
- ensure that the application is added to the paper register at our offices which is available for viewing
Please email commons@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk to make an appointment to view the register.
For more information on how to complete the application form visit:
The Commons (Registration of Town or Village Greens) and Dedicated Highways (Landowner Statements and Declarations) (England) Regulations 2013 (Statutory Instrument 2013 No.1774)
Contact us
Please get in touch if you have any queries regarding Section 31 deposits.
Telephone: 0300 300 5114
Email: section31@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk