All current public rights of way in the borough can be viewed using the interactive map. Further information will be available in our Definitive Statement of Public Rights of Way, which is currently under review.
Highways Act and Commons Act deposits
Protecting your land
Section 31(6) of the Highway Act 1980 allows landowners to acknowledge the existence of those public rights of way which cross their land and to prevent new public rights of way being created by long use. New public rights of way may be created following use of a route by members of the public, usually for a period of twenty years or more. A statement/declaration made under section 31(6) will not prevent rights of way that already exist from being recorded, nor can it remove any existing rights.
Under section 15A of the Commons Act 2006 a landowner may deposit with us a map and statement which brings to an end any recreational use of the land 'as of right'. Provided that this is submitted before there has been 20 years 'as of right' use of the land for recreational purposes it will prevent the land from being registered as a town or village green.
Further details about deposits made under both the Highways Act and the Commons Act can be found in Defra's Guidance for the completion of form CA16 (this link will open a PDF document).
Making an application
If, having read Defra's guidance, you would like to make an application please complete form CA16 which can be found at the Defra webpage and return it by post (a signed paper copy is required) to the following address:
Transport Planning and Road Safety
Hounslow House
7 Bath Road
Hounslow
TW3 7EB
Please note that we charge a fee of £660 for all Highways and Landowner deposits made for a single/standard parcel of land. Additional fees may be charged for larger or more complex land holdings.
On receipt of an application form, we will advise you of the cost. Only on receipt of both the fee and a correctly completed form will your application be considered duly made. At this stage we will publish a notice of the deposit on our website, post site notices on the land affected and update the legal register of deposits. In all cases it is recommended that a draft version of your deposit is submitted before a final signed version is deposited.
Online register and public notices
Online register
We are required to record all deposits of this type in online and paper register form. The online version can be viewed below:
Highways and Commons Statements and Declarations
A paper register is available to view by appointment with Transport team at the address listed above. To make an appointment please email the Traffic team.
Highways Act and Commons Act public notices
Since 2013 the Council has also been required to publish notice of each application it receives.
The Commons and Dedicated Highways Regulations 2013 require that as soon as practicable after receiving an application made in accordance with regulation 2, the appropriate authority must publicise notice of receipt of the application on its website. The notice provides information relating to the authority and application itself, including a map and description of the land. The date the application was received by the authority is also inserted in the notice.
There is no specified length of time for which the notice should be retained on the authority's website but all notices will be viewable here for at least 60 days from the date of posting. The notices will also be posted at one obvious entry point to the land for at least 60 days where applicable to Landowner Statements.
Find out more about current notices by visiting our Register of Landowner and Highways Statements where the notices and plans can be viewed as a PDF.
Definitive map modification orders
Section 53B of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 requires us to produce a register of applications for definitive map modification orders made under section 53 (5) of the act.
The register must be kept in both electronic and paper form and be available for inspection on this website and in paper form.
Brentford Dock plan
As per the City of York website, the information to set out is:
- Date application duly made: 16 December 2024
- Applicant name: Brentford Walks
- Applicant address
- Location details: Path around the edge of Brentford Dock
- Location map: See plan
- Intended effect: See Brentford Dock Plan
- Ordnance Survey map reference (start)
- 517630, 177172
- Ordnance Survey map reference (end)
- 517630, 177172
- File status: Open
- Date determined by London Borough of Hounslow: Not determined
- Determination - tbc
- Outcome - tbc
- Outcome date - tbc
Officer contact details
Email: traffic@hounslow.gov.uk
