Definitive footpath description.
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What is a definitive footpath?
Each disrtict council has a Definitive Map and Definitive statement. This is the council's record of those footpaths in its care, and for which it is legally responsible. These footpaths are all public rights of way.
There are also public footpaths which are not on the council's map. These paths are still public paths, but for some reason have not been incorprated into the map.
Just because a footpath exists, or even if it's on the Ordnance Survey map. it may or may not be a legal right of way. The only way to be sure is to examine the council's definitive map.
Some paths are rights of way because of long-standing use. Some paths (in Eckington Woods for example) are 'permissive' paths - that is the landowner has given express permission for the public to use a path on private land. This permission can be withdrawn at any time.
What is the Definitive Map and Statement?
The Definitive Map and the Definitive Statement (a written description
of every path on the map) together form the legal record of public
rights of way. The line of a path on the Definitive Map and Statement
(DMS), and its status (public footpath / bridleway / byway) can only be
changed by a legal order.
Who keeps the map up to date?
The local Surveying Authority - In our case there are two authorities: Debyshire County Council and Sheffield City Council., They maintain the
Definitive Maps and Statements for their respective areas. The maps and statements are available for public viewing at Chesterfield and Sheffield respectively.
On our simplified footpath map, the areas which come under Sheffield City Council are shaded light-grey. Individual map sheets are updated
periodically to reflect any changes which have taken place. This means that individual sheets
may have different publication dates.
The information on our map and the corresponding text references are taken from the definitive maps and statements. The descriptions of the paths themselves are written by our own contributors.
Last modified 03-02-2006 18:00