As you may be aware, United Utilities (UU) recently announced its intention to implement a ‘rationalised permit and charging regime’ for certain groups accessing its land.
The BMC has been concerned about the impact of this on the outdoor community, so we (and MLTE) wrote to the Chairman of UU to raise our concerns and a meeting was held with senior UU staff in March.
This proved a useful exercise for all concerned with discussions focusing on legal, land management and conservation aspects of the policy, with UU stating to us:
"we assure the BMC that we have no intention to charge the general public for access to UU owned land covered by CRoW or other access legislation. United Utilities has always maintained a principle not make access charges for educational and charitable activities and there are no plans for this to change"
The full details of the charging/permit regime are quite complex, but in summary they are as follows:
Effective from April 1st:
- Organisers of large events1 should contact the local catchment team to discuss requirements and request a permit. The application form requires copies of insurance, risk assessments and maps. They also require that if the event or activity takes place in a National Park then the relevant park authority must also give permission. If the event is for educational or charitable purposes then all charges2 will be waived, provided it can be demonstrated the charity benefits and not a commercial organiser.
- Commercial operators3 using Public Rights of Way (PRoW) and CRoW land on UU estates are requested to inform UU - so they can compile data on who uses their land.
- Commercial group operators accessing private (non-CRoW) land owned by UU away from PRoW require permission and a permit. Where the visits are for educational or charitable purposes then UU will not charge for the permit. The UU catchment teams will work with groups requesting permits, and then decide what proportion of their activities are commercial as opposed to educational or charitable.
- UU request that people do not access ghyll-scrambles on their CRoW land. However, you have the statutory right to undertake this activity if you wish, but for the sake of environmental sustainability and to protect water quality UU suggest you adhere to their Code of Conduct (available on the UU website).
1. ‘Event’ is undefined; an orienteering event would certainly be included; a club meet probably not.
2. Charging regime as yet undefined.
3. ‘Commercial operators’ undefined but would probably include all ‘events’ where any form of payment to organisers etc. is involved.
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