Purpose

To seek approval under delegated authority to update the earlier decision approving the consolidation of the Definitive Map and Statement (DMS) of Bracknell Forest public rights of way (decision date ref. 20.12.2024).
The update is required to:
• include three Modification Orders confirmed in 2025
• provide for the Relevant Date of the consolidated DMS to be fixed in accordance with section 57A(4) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (the 1981 Act); and
• all other aspects of the previously approved consolidation remain unchanged.

Decision

RESOVED that,

1. Bracknell Forest Borough Council (BFCB) include three (confirmed) Modification Orders to the consolidation work, including:

-       A correction to Winkfield Footpath 15

-       The dedication of a bridleway at Horseshoe Lake (Sandhurst Bridleway           28)

-       A new footpath at Peterhouse Close (Sandhurst Footpath 29)

1. The Relevant Date for the consolidated DMS will be set according to section 57A(4) of the 1981 Act. It must be no earlier than six months before the date on which the consolidated map and statement are prepared and must be later than the Relevant Date of the most recent Modification Order included in the consolidation.
2. this decision varies the earlier approval only where necessary to incorporate the changes set out in this report, and that all other aspects of the approved consolidation of the DMS remain approved and unchanged.

Reasons for the decision

The earlier delegated approval of the DMS consolidation was taken on the basis that the consolidation was in the final stages of preparation. The consolidation was completed later than anticipated and, in the intervening period, three Modification Orders were confirmed in 2025. This report therefore seeks a limited variation to incorporate those Orders and to confirm a Relevant Date that complies with section 57A(4) of the 1981 Act.

There have also been a few small changes to the process since it was last described and approved in the decision report. One example is a minor correction needed to resolve an issue with Bracknell Footpath 7. During the consolidation work, it became clear that the path ends in the middle of Downshire Way (A322). The original plan was to use a Public Path Extinguishment Order. Further checks then showed that this was likely a mapping error, which can be corrected through a simple map update instead.

Another change is to set a new Relevant Date, which marks the point in time used during preparation of the DMS. It was originally planned for 1 February 2025, but it now needs to be moved back to reflect recent changes. This date must fall within six months of the final preparation date and must also be later than the date of the most recent Modification Order included in the new DMS.

Alternative options considered

Not extending the existing consolidation decision to incorporate these changes would result in an out-of-date snapshot of the DMS at the point of consolidation. It could also create complications in relation to the Relevant Dates of Modification Orders confirmed in 2025.