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STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS
2026 No. 11
COUNTRYSIDE, ENGLAND
The Access to the Countryside (Coastal
Margin) (Mersea Island) Order 2026
Made - - - - 7th January 2026
Coming into force - - 8th January 2026
The Secretary of State makes this Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 3A(10) of
the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000(1).
Citation and commencement and interpretation
1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Access to the Countryside (Coastal Margin) (Mersea
Island) Order 2026 and comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made.
(2) In this Order—
“the Act” means the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949(2);
“the relevant approvals” means the approval, by the Secretary of State(3) under section 52(1)
of the Act(4) of the proposals contained in the—
(a) England Coast Path Mersea Island Chapter 1, The Strood and the Strood road crossing
to North of West Mersea report on 16th July 2024;
(b) England Coast Path Mersea Island Chapter 2, West Mersea Town (North of West Mersea
Town to Anglian Water sewage works) report on 16th July 2024;
(c) England Coast Path Mersea Island Chapter 3, Anglian Water Sewage Works to Mersea
Stone report on 16th July 2024;
(1) 2000 c. 37; section 3A was inserted by the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23), section 303(5).
(2) 1949 c. 97.
(3) The functions of the Secretary of State under sections 51 and 52 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act
1949 (c. 97) were originally vested in the Minister of Town and Country Planning in relation to England and Wales (see
section 114(1) of that Act). The Minister of Town and Country Planning was renamed the Minister of Local Government and
Planning by S.I. 1951/142, and was further renamed the Minister of Housing and Local Government by S.I. 1951/1900. S.I.
1965/143 transferred (so far as relevant) the functions of the Minister of Housing and Local Government to the Minister of
Land and Natural Resources. The Ministry of Land and Natural Resources was dissolved by S.I. 1967/156 and the functions
of that Minister (so far as relevant) were transferred to the Minister of Housing and Local Government. The Ministry of
Housing and Local Government was dissolved and the functions of that Minister were transferred to the Secretary of State
by S.I. 1970/1681.
(4) Section 52(1) was amended by the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16), Schedule 11, Part 1,
paragraph 10(f).Document Generated: 2026-01-08
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
(d) England Coast Path Mersea Island Chapter 4, Mersea Stone to The Strood, Colchester
Road report on 16th July 2024.
“the relevant reports” means the reports submitted by Natural England to the Secretary of State
under sections 51 and 55A of the Act(5) on 28th June 2017 (6) entitled—
(a) England Coast Path Mersea Island Chapter 1, The Strood and the Strood road crossing
to North of West Mersea;
(b) England Coast Path Mersea Island Chapter 2, West Mersea Town (North of West Mersea
Town to Anglian Water sewage works);
(c) England Coast Path Mersea Island Chapter 3, Anglian Water Sewage Works to Mersea
Stone;
(d) England Coast Path Mersea Island Chapter 4, Mersea Stone to The Strood, Colchester
Road.
End of access preparation period
2. In relation to land which is coastal margin, as a result of the relevant approvals of the proposals
contained in the relevant reports, the day appointed as the day on which the access preparation
period(7) ends, is 28th January 2026.
Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Department for Environment, Food and Rural
7th January 2026 Affairs
(5) Section 51 was amended by: the Countryside Act 1968 (c. 41), section 21(2); the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70),
Schedule 30; the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43), Schedule 8, paragraph 1(7); the Environment Act 1995 (c. 25),
Schedule 10, paragraph 2(5); the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, Schedule 5, Part 2, paragraph 12 and Schedule 7
paragraph 1; and by the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, Schedule 11, Part 1, paragraph 10(e). Section
55A was inserted by the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, section 302(1).
(6) The reports are available at www.gov.uk or may be obtained by writing to Coastal Access Delivery Team, Natural England,
Mail Hub, County Hall, Spetchley Road, Worcester, WR5 2NP.
(7) The term “access preparation period” is defined in section 3A(10) of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
2Document Generated: 2026-01-08
Status: This is the original version (as it was originally made). This
item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order appoints the day on which the access preparation period ends in relation to land which
is coastal margin as a result of the approval by the Secretary of State of proposals contained in
reports relating to coastal access along the long-distance route upon Mersea Island from the Strood
to Mersea Stone.
Copies of the notices of approval are available at www.gov.uk and may also be obtained by writing
to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street,
London SW1 4DF.
An impact assessment has not been prepared in respect of this Order because the assumptions
underlying the Order were reflected in the impact assessment which was prepared for the Marine
and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23). It is available at www.gov.uk, or may be obtained by writing
to the Commons and Access Implementation Team at the Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs at the address given above.
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