National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 facts for kids
| Act of Parliament | |
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| Long title | An Act to make provision for National Parks and the establishment of a National Parks Commission ; to confer on the Nature Conservancy and local authorities powers for the establishment and maintenance of nature reserves ; to make further provision for the recording, creation, maintenance and improvement of public paths and for securing access to open country, and to amend the law relating to rights of way; to confer further powers for preserving and enhancing natural beauty ; and for matters connected with the purposes aforesaid. |
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| Citation | 1949 c 97 |
| Introduced by | Sir Arthur Hobhouse |
| Territorial extent | England, Scotland and Wales |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 16 December 1949 |
| Other legislation | |
| Amended by | The Natural Resources Body for Wales (Functions) Order 2013 (portion) |
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Status: Amended
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| History of passage through Parliament | |
| Records of Parliamentary debate relating to the statute from Hansard, at TheyWorkForYou | |
| Records of Parliamentary debate relating to the statute from Hansard | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Text of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk | |
The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 is an important law passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. This Act helped create special protected areas like National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) in England and Wales. It also made rules about public footpaths and how people can access open land. This law was passed in 1949 after World War II to help rebuild the country and protect its beautiful landscapes.
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Protecting UK's Natural Beauty
This Act was a big step in protecting the UK's amazing countryside. It set up a way to create and manage National Parks. These are large areas of beautiful land that are protected for everyone to enjoy. The Act also created Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). These are smaller areas, but just as special, with unique landscapes.
Why Was This Act Needed?
After World War II, people wanted to make sure that beautiful parts of the country were saved. They also wanted to make it easier for everyone to enjoy nature. The Labour government at the time passed this Act as part of their plan to rebuild Britain.
How the Act Came About
The idea for this Act didn't just appear overnight. It was based on several important reports:
- In 1931, a government committee led by Christopher Addison suggested protecting certain areas.
- In 1945, John Gordon Dower wrote a report to the Minister of Town and Country Planning. He strongly recommended creating National Parks.
- In 1947, another government committee, led by Sir Arthur Hobhouse, proposed creating 12 National Parks. This report was very important for the Act.
The First National Parks
After the Act was passed, the first 10 British National Parks were created in the 1950s. Many of these were in upland areas that weren't used much for farming.
- The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads area was made a special protected area in 1988. Even though it's not officially called a "National Park," it works in a very similar way.
- The New Forest became a National Park on March 1, 2005.
- The South Downs, which was one of the 12 areas suggested in the 1947 Hobhouse Report, became a National Park in March 2009.
Changes to the Act Over Time
The National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 has been updated and changed several times since it was first created. These changes helped improve how the parks and protected areas are managed.
- The Environmental Protection Act 1990 created the Nature Conservancy Council. This body later became Natural England. It also moved some powers to the Countryside Council for Wales.
- The Environment Act 1995 made a big change. It meant that each National Park now has its own special National Park Authority to manage it.
- The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 changed how Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) are officially recognized.
- The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 led to the creation of new bodies like Natural England and the Commission for Rural Communities. This happened when English Nature, the Countryside Agency, and the Rural Development Service joined together in 2006.
