Hounslow Council has made a formal order to add a waterfront footpath around Brentford Dock Estate to its official record of public rights of way, marking a significant stage in a long-running dispute over access.
The order, made on 1 September, concerns a route around the edge of the estate peninsula, beside the Thames and neighbouring waterways. It would add a public footpath of about 1,235 metres to the borough’s Definitive Map and Statement, with a width generally ranging from one to 3.5 metres.
It is not, however, an immediate reopening order. The route will only become a conclusively recognised public right of way if the modification order is confirmed through the statutory process.
Evidence considered by the council
The decision follows an application submitted in December 2024 by Brentford Walks. Council officers reviewed material from the applicant and the landowner, carried out enquiries and site visits, and considered representations from interested parties.
In its decision report, the council said the evidence supported the case for the perimeter route, shown as the green route in the application material, but not for connecting routes included in the original claim. It concluded that public footpath rights over the perimeter route were reasonably capable of being established.
The authority’s assessment records evidence that members of the public had used the route for many years, including from the late 1970s and early 1980s, when the estate was developed. It also considered the landowner’s evidence opposing the application, including material about signs, barriers and access restrictions.
The report says gates were installed at points of access from 2021 and that access became fully restricted when gates were locked in June 2023. It notes that the question of rights over the path is legally separate from a private covenant concerning two areas of open space within the estate.
What happens next
Residents, landowners and other interested parties can now make written representations or objections. The notice sets a deadline of 31 October and asks anyone responding to quote reference FP81 and give their grounds.
If there are no valid objections, or any objections are withdrawn, the council can confirm the order itself. If objections remain, it must be sent to the Secretary of State for consideration. That route can involve further scrutiny and may ultimately lead to a public inquiry.
Under the order, the proposed footpath starts and finishes south of Dock Road and follows the estate perimeter. The council’s public notice describes it as a waterfront route around the area bounded by the Thames and associated waterways.
A procedural milestone, not a final ruling
The measure changes neither the present legal status of the route nor access arrangements by itself. It is the council’s formal finding that the Definitive Map should be altered, subject to confirmation.
That distinction is central to the next phase. The statutory consultation gives supporters of the application, the estate owner and others an opportunity to put their position on the record before the outcome is determined.
For walkers, the order represents progress towards having the route officially recognised. For all sides in the dispute, the result will depend on whether the order is confirmed after the objection period and, if necessary, consideration by the Secretary of State.
