The Environment Act 1995 and quiet enjoyment: implications for countryside recreation in the national parks of England and Wales, UK

Summary National parks in England and Wales have traditionally been seen as places of quiet, less hurried recreation. The phrase ‘quiet enjoyment’ was adopted to represent this notion, and this paper traces the policy‐making process involved in attempting to conserve this view. The debate during the enactment of the Environment Act 1995 brought the use and meaning of the phrase to prominence; amongst other issues, the use of the phrase in tenancy law precluded its use in legislation. The loss of the phrase ‘quiet enjoyment’ could have prolonged effects on the way in which national parks are used for recreational purposes.