The Commons (Registration of Town or Village Greens) (Interim Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2007

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Section 15 of the Commons Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”) provides a revised basis for seeking registration of land as a town or village green.

Part I of the 2006 Act has only been partially brought into force. In particular sections 1–3 are not yet in force. Until that happens, new greens cannot be entered into the register of town or village greens to be maintained pursuant to the 2006 Act. Until that time, these Regulations enable registration authorities to register land, which meets the criteria for registration set out in section 15(1) or 15(8) of the 2006 Act, in the register of town or village greens maintained pursuant to the Commons Registration Act 1965.

These regulations—

• specify the procedure for applying to register land as a town or village green (r.3);

• specify the procedure for dealing with applications for registration (rr.4–7); and

• specify the manner of registration of land as a town or village green following the granting of an application (r.8).

These regulations replace the relevant provisions in the Commons Registration (New Land) Regulations 1969 (SI 1969/1843) for the registration of new town or village greens under the Commons Registration Act 1965. However, the 1969 regulations remain in force to enable the registration of new greens and new common land for the purposes specified in the savings contained in article 4(3) of the Commons Act 2006 (Commencement No. 2, Transitional Provisions and Savings)(England) Order 2007 (SI 2007/456).

A full regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sector is foreseen.