The Access to the Countryside (Coastal Margin) (Bawdsey to Aldeburgh) Order 2026
This Order establishes June 24, 2026, as the date on which the access preparation period ends for land designated as coastal margin between Bawdsey and Aldeburgh in Suffolk.
It applies to land identified in five specific reports submitted by Natural England and approved by the Secretary of State under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.
By concluding the access preparation period, the Order triggers the legal commencement of public access rights to this stretch of coastal land under the terms of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
Arguments For
The order states that it fulfills the requirements of section 3A(10) of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 to appoint a day for the end of the access preparation period.
Proponents of the coastal access scheme, as referenced in the accompanying explanatory note, indicate that the order implements proposals previously approved by the Secretary of State for the England Coast Path.
The document notes that five specific reports (BSA1 through BSA5) covering the stretch from Bawdsey Quay to Aldeburgh have been submitted by Natural England and approved, providing a legal basis for the designation of the coastal margin.
The explanatory note asserts that the underlying assumptions for this order were already reflected in the impact assessment prepared for the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.
Arguments Against
Legal scholars may note that the order's effect is contingent upon the accuracy and procedural validity of the five Natural England reports (BSA1 to BSA5) and their subsequent approval by the Secretary of State.
Landowners or affected parties may raise concerns regarding the specific boundaries of the "coastal margin" as defined in the approved reports, which are referenced but not detailed within the text of this order.
Critics of the coastal access program might point to the absence of a dedicated impact assessment for this specific statutory instrument, although the document states this is because it relies on the 2009 Act’s assessment.
Citation and commencement and interpretation
- -(1) This Order may be cited as the Access to the Countryside (Coastal Margin) (Bawdsey to Aldeburgh) Order 2026 and comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made.
- (2) In this Order-
'the Act' means the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949( 2 )
'the relevant approval' means the approval, by the Secretary of State( 3 ) under section 52(1) of the Act( 4 ) of the proposal contained in the-
- (a) England Coast Path Bawdsey to Aldeburgh BSA1, Bawdsey Quay (picnic site) to Butley Ferry (west side) report on 2nd May 2025;
- (b) England Coast Path Bawdsey to Aldeburgh BSA2, Butley Ferry crossing (west side) to Orford Quay report on 2nd May 2025;
- (c) England Coast Path Bawdsey to Aldeburgh BSA3, Orford Quay to Ferry Lane (track) report on 11th November 2021;
( 1 ) 2000 c. 37; section 3A was inserted by the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23), section 303(5).
( 2 ) 1949 c. 97.
( 3 ) The functions of the Secretary of State under sections 51 and 52 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 (c. 97) were originally vested in the Minister of Town and Country Planning in relation to England and Wales (see section 114(1) of that Act). The Minister of Town and Country Planning was renamed the Minister of Local Government and Planning by S.I. 1951/142, and was further renamed the Minister of Housing and Local Government by S.I. 1951/1900. S.I. 1965/143 transferred (so far as relevant) the functions of the Minister of Housing and Local Government to the Minister of Land and Natural Resources. The Ministry of Land and Natural Resources was dissolved by S.I. 1967/156 and the functions of that Minister (so far as relevant) were transferred to the Secretary of State by S.I. 1970/1681.
( 4 ) Section 52(1) was amended by the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16), Schedule 11, Part 1, paragraph 10(f).
- (d) England Coast Path Bawdsey to Aldeburgh BSA4, Ferry Lane (track) to Hazlewood Marshes car park report on 2nd May 2025;
- (e) England Coast Path Bawdsey to Aldeburgh BSA5, Hazlewood Marshes car park to Aldeburgh report on 2nd May 2025.
'the relevant report' means the report submitted by Natural England to the Secretary of State under sections 51 and 55A of the Act( 5 ) on 3rd February 2021( 6 ) entitled-
- (a) England Coast Path Bawdsey to Aldeburgh BSA1, Bawdsey Quay (picnic site) to Butley Ferry (west side);
- (b) England Coast Path Bawdsey to Aldeburgh BSA2, Butley Ferry crossing (west side) to Orford Quay;
- (c) England Coast Path Bawdsey to Aldeburgh BSA3, Orford Quay to Ferry Lane (track);
- (d) England Coast Path Bawdsey to Aldeburgh BSA4, Ferry Lane (track) to Hazlewood Marshes car park;
- (e) England Coast Path Bawdsey to Aldeburgh BSA5, Hazlewood Marshes car park to Aldeburgh.
This article establishes the official name of the Order and its commencement date of June 30, 2026.
It provides definitions for key terms used in the document, specifically identifying the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 as 'the Act'.
It also lists several specific reports and approvals produced by Natural England and the Secretary of State that define the coastal route between Bawdsey and Aldeburgh.
End of access preparation period
- In relation to land which is coastal margin, as a result of the relevant approval of the proposal contained in the relevant report, the day appointed as the day on which the access preparation period( 7 ) ends, is 24th June 2026.
( 7 ) The term 'access preparation period' is defined in section 3A(10) of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
This article sets June 24, 2026, as the formal end of the 'access preparation period' for the coastal margin areas specified in the referenced reports.
This date marks the conclusion of the period during which preparations for public access are made under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
Effectively, this fulfills the final administrative step required for public access rights to become active on the designated land.
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