Darwall v Dartmoor National Park Authority

Subject Matter

COMMONS — Common land — Right to roam — Statute giving public “right of access” to areas of Dartmoor Commons on foot and on horseback for purpose of “open-air recreation” — Whether conferring right to wild camp — Whether wild camping included in open-air recreation or ancillary to right of access — Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 (c xxxvii), s 10(1)

[2023] EWHC 35 (Ch); [2023] Ch 141; [2023] 2 WLR 877; [2023] WLR(D) 21, Ch D

COMMONS — Common land — Right of access — Statute giving public right of access to areas of Dartmoor Commons on foot and on horseback for purpose of “open-air recreation” — Whether conferring right to wild camp — Whether wild camping included in open-air recreation — Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 (c xxxvii), s 10(1)

[2023] EWCA Civ 927; [2024] Ch 107; [2024] 2 WLR 397; [2023] WLR(D) 338, CA

[2025] UKSC 20; [2025] AC 1292; [2025] 2 WLR 1075; [2025] WLR(D) 276, SC(E)

STATUTE — Construction — Hansard — Use of statements in Parliament to identify background, purpose or mischief at which Act aimed — Whether admissible other than pursuant to rule in Pepper v Hart

[2025] UKSC 20; [2025] AC 1292; [2025] 2 WLR 1075; [2025] WLR(D) 276, SC(E)

STATUTE — Construction — Hansard — Use of statements in Hansard to identify background and purpose of Act or mischief at which Act aimed — Whether permissible if Act neither ambiguous, nor obscure, nor leading to absurdity

[2025] UKSC 20; [2025] AC 1292; [2025] 2 WLR 1075; [2025] WLR(D) 276, SC(E)

Appellate History

Commentary

UK Constitutional Law Association
Darwall and the Public Life of Private Property Case comment