{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/countryside-act-1968/section-49",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/countryside-act-1968/section-49.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1968/41",
  "legislation_title": "Countryside Act 1968",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/countryside-act-1968",
  "path": "section/49",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "49",
  "heading": "Interpretation.",
  "text": "(1) Section 114 of the Act of 1949 shall apply for the construction of this Act.\n(2) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—\n“the Act of 1949” means the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949;\n“boat” includes any hover vehicle or craft being a vehicle or craft designed to be supported on a cushion of air and which is used on or over water;\n“bridleway” and “footpath” have the meanings given by section 329(1) of the Highways Act 1980;\n...\n...\n“land” includes any interest in or right over land;\n“the Minister”, as respects Wales and Monmouthshire, means the Secretary of State, and otherwise means the Secretary of State;\n“the NRBW” means the Natural Resources Body for Wales;\n“public body” includes any local authority or statutory undertaker, and any trustees, commissioners, board or other persons, who, as a public body and not for their own profit, act under any enactment for the improvement of any place or the production or supply of any commodity or service;\n. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(3) In this Act “parish” means a rural parish . . .\n(4) References in this Act to the conservation of the natural beauty of an area shall be construed as including references to the conservation of its flora, fauna and geological and physiographical features.",
  "extent": "E+W+S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words substituted by Highways Act 1980 (c. 66, SIF 59), Sch. 24 para. 17(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 49(2) repealed (1.10.2006) by Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (c. 16), s. 107, Sch. 11 para. 56, Sch. 12; S.I. 2006/2541, art. 2 (with Sch.)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 49(2) omitted (1.4.2013) by virtue of The Natural Resources Body for Wales (Functions) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/755), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 105(2) (with Sch. 7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words substituted by virtue of S.I. 1970/1681, arts. 2, 6(3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 49(2) inserted (1.4.2013) by The Natural Resources Body for Wales (Functions) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/755), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 105(3) (with Sch. 7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Definitions repealed by Water Act 1973 (c. 37, SIF 30), Sch. 9"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words repealed by Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70, SIF 81:1), Sch. 30"
    },
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M1",
      "text": "1949 c. 97."
    },
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M2",
      "text": "1980 c. 66."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [
    {
      "type": "words inserted",
      "affecting": "asc/2026/7",
      "affecting_title": "Planning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Act 2026"
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/41/section/49",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:54:08.337160+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}