Shropshire Council

Highways and landowner statements and declarations

Want to protect your land?

A landowner may prevent the public from acquiring new rights over their land through use, by challenging that use. Such challenge needs to be overt and brought to the attention of the public.

Examples of challenge can be the erection of notices, barriers or by locking a gate across the path at least one a year.

One option for a landowner to challenge use is set out in legislation. This enables the landowner (or their agent) to send us a statement and map, showing the extent of their land and what rights they admit exist over it. This will protect the land from claims for additional rights of way from the date of deposit for a period of twenty years after which it may be renewed. We're required to make such documents available to the public.

Statements and declarations can be made in respect of either rights of way, village greens, or both. Applications will need to be accompanied by the appropriate fee to cover our costs of logging the application, making it available on our website and paper register, and placing notices on site. These charges will be reviewed annually.

Looking to make an application?

If you're looking to make an application to submit a highways statement or declaration, view our further guidance document and the appropriate application form, both available via the related links on this page. Defra guidance is also available. There's also some Defra guidance for CA16If you have any further questions please contact us.

We're responsible for keeping a register of the statements and declarations deposited. This is currently under development and will be available to view as soon as possible. Please contact the Outdoor Partnerships team if you wish to access details of any statements and declarations currently deposited with us. Copies of current notices of highways statements/declarations are attached.

Landowner statements and declarations