Natural England

The DLW Project has now closed, following a fundamental review carried out in 2007.

The review (77kb pdf) concluded that the challenges of securing a complete and accurate Definitive Map were beyond the scope of a research focussed project, and a new approach was required.

• Unrecorded Rights of Way Project        

The review of DLW, which included working through five Pathfinder Projects to test different approaches to implementing lost ways research, together with a series of stakeholder workshops found that: 

• The original estimate of 20,000 lost ways remains valid, but the costs and timescale of processing these through the current system, even reflecting the streamlined, source-led research approach are unacceptable
• Over 50% of identified ways are not lost, many can be seen, but they are simply not recorded on the definitive map
• The loss of these used, but unrecorded routes, would mean a significant decrease in access to the countryside at the cut-off date
• A small minority of lost ways may be inconsistent with modern land use and can cause practical problems for owners
• Stakeholders have demonstrated a willingness to contribute to seeking sensible solutions to these complex issues.           

As a result of this review, Natural England concludes that:

• the aims of DLW support the strategic objective of NE to enable more people more access to the natural environment more often.
• a rights of way network that provides clarity for users about where they can go contributes to this, as well as providing longer term certainty for landowners and managers about rights which cross their land.
• in order to achieve this the methods used must stand a good chance of realising this certainty of recording rights on the definitive map within a realistic timescale
• the review has highlighted the limitations and constraints of the current methods and context of researching, submitting and determining claims.
• it is clear that a more holistic approach to the rights of way agenda is required if we are to realise the benefits that an accurate rights of way network can provide.           

To achieve this we are establishing an independently chaired Stakeholder Working Group of key national stakeholders to develop an agreed package of measures that will achieve real and lasting progress in recording rights of way.

Reports and data produced through DLW will be available through this website later in July.