How does the Planning Act 2008 affect public rights of way?
It does not really change things to any significant degree. The 2008 Act is intended to provide a single process for dealing with planning in relation to infrastructure of national significance. Although it contains specific provisions for closure/diversion of public rights of way, this is really no different in effect from the provisions that already exist in the Town & Country Planning Act 1990. All that happens is that the process is unified in with all the other considerations so that, in theory, all issues relating to major infrastructure projects are looked at together, and the issues arising are dealt with together. We will just have to see, if and when the Act is fully brought into force, whether this improves things or not.
