East Suffolk Public Rights of Way Access
Overview of Issues with Public Rights of Way
Due to the development of various energy projects in the East Suffolk region there are many rights of way and permissive paths that are being blocked up or diverted, either temporarily or permanently. The extent of these projects encompasses the coastal area bounded by Southwold in the North to Aldeburgh in the south and the works are expected to last between 10 and 20 years. The map below details the huge scale of the various projects that are affecting this region.
Currently, as of Autumn 2025, the principle works being undertaken are the preparation for Sizewell C Nuclear Power Station plus additional works for the Scottish Power Renewables (SPR) wind-farm pipeline. The Sizewell C preperation has entailed a vast area that has been cleared of all wildlife and vegetation, resulting in a landscape that resembles a war-zone. The area stretches from the coast all the way through to the A12 trunk road. In addition, trees and hedgerows across a wide area of the Suffolk Coastal region have been cut down and removed. Some 27,000+ trees have been felled, including centuries old oaks much to the dismay of a lot of local people. Despite protests, this continues to happen. For the hapless wanderer who passes through this landscape, the emotions are ones of heartbreak, anger and helplessness in the face of Corporate and Governmental adversity.
In addition, preparatory work for the Wind-farm cables has also resulted in blocked up and diverted public rights of way where preparatory work and haul roads are being installed. These diversions are usually accompanied by public notices alongside the relevant footpaths although they are not easy to decipher. They entail a map to indicate the path(s) that are to be blocked with additional information about Banksmen who will be in attendance to guide walkers across any vehicular access ways. It has also been noticed that the large earth movers that are being used have to negotiate public rights of way to gain access to the works, leaving little room for pedestrians to pass and turning paths and tracks into muddy quagmores during the winter months.
It is difficult to keep track of the works in progress, especially with the current Sizewell C development, with public rights of way being blocked up and rerouted with no detail provided by the East Suffolk Council Rights of Way page. Sizewell C does offer a Works Tracker Page although this never seems to be up-to-date. This does offer the ability to sign up for email alerts on a variety of works being undertaken including Public Rights of Way. Despite having signed up to this from the start, we here at Griffmonster Walks have yet to receive a single alert for a PRoW notice, despite encountering blocked up and rerouted footpaths during this time. Certainly with the Sizewell C project, the lack of public notices informing of Public Rights of Way amendments does appear to support a general view held locally that EDF, the company carrying out the project, operate above the law, without fear of legal consequences or public scrutiny.
It is therefore difficult to provide full up-to-date details of Public Rights of Way that have been blocked up or diverted for the walks within the Suffolk Coastal area that are featured on this site. We sympathise with those who have followed walks only to discover paths blocked or diverted resulting in additional mileage to undertake. We are endeavouring to keep the details on affected walks up-to-date but when the relevant documentation and public notices are not available this makes it a thankless task where we have to get out and walk each route on a regular basis.
Where routes are known to have been blocked, the Walk Pages are now marked with a blocked
tag - a full list can be found by searching the blocked
tag label https://griffmonster-walks.blogspot.com/search/label/blocked. Similarly, where routes are known to have long term diversions in place, then these are tagged with a diversion
tag label https://griffmonster-walks.blogspot.com/search/label/diversion. It should be noted that these are the only ones we know about from walking the paths, therefore is probably not a complete list. There is no definitive list availble, as far as we know, from either East Suffolk Council or the corporate bodies resonsible for these changes/
When additional information is found on upcoming footpath diversions we will post this on our Facebook Page
Known Diversions
King Charles III England Coast Path/Suffolk Coast Path at Sizewell
This has been rerouted in front of the site proposed for the new Power Stations, which lies north of the existing Power Stations. The diverted route runs closer to the beach, skirting to edge of the dunes, with fencing placed to the landward side of the path. The beach is still available as an alternative and generally there is plenty of sand at low tide. The northern side of this diversion is affected by constant erosion and this leaves the path vulnerable during high spring tides and storm surges. It is advisable to check the tide times and heights before setting out. (refer to Minsmere Sluice tide times) There are no tide time notices along this section or warnings about the erosion. Proceed with care.
The England Coast Path has agreed with contractor, EDF, that once a sea wall has been constructed the path will be rerouted along the top of this. It is uncertain of the timescale to implement this or whether EDF will honour this agreement. It has also been documented that the path will be inaccessible if and when works are undertaken on the beach. In this case the path will be rerouted down to the B1122, then to the village of Eastbridge returning to the coast at Minsmere sluice, a total distance of just under 6 miles compared to the 2 mile distance directly up the coast to the sluice. It should be noted that the path from Eastbridge to the sluice can become inaccessible during Winter due to flooding and excessively muddy conditions.
LATEST! The England Coast Path and the beach area will be blocked up during weekdays and over night and during weekends from 1st January 2026 until 31st March 2026. This will necesitate the long diversion as detailed above. This will be especially concerning for any long distance hikers who will need to know in advance of the additional distance. Unfortunately there has been no publicity about this diversion apart from on the SZC website.
Sandlings Long Distance Path
This has currently been rerouted along the coast, following the England Coast Path (see above for the England Coast Path as this will be blocked up). The original route of the trail navigated from Sizewell village, up to Leiston Common and Sizewell Belts, through Kenton Hill woods and onto Eastbridge via Bridleway 19. This is still currently accessible although there are patrolled and locked metal gates along Bridleway 19 where you have to ask permission from the gate patrols to continue along the right-of-way. Either side of this lane, the land is completely devastated. The lane will eventually be blocked up completely although timescales have not been issued about when this will occur.
The later revised route of the Sandlings which navigated from the coast, through Goose Hill, Kenton Hills and onwards to Eastbridge is blocked up between Kenton Hills and the Coast. Heras metal fencing prevents access and there are regular patrols and CCTV through the area to prevent walkers from accessing this area.
The section between Friston and Coldfair Green now has a diversion in place along the bridleway. A surfaced path has been added at the begining of the bridleway on the Coldfair end. This runs parallel to the road for 100 metres, then turns and makes a crossing at the new haul road where there is a banksman in place. This thenleads back to the bridleway following the course of the haul road. The point at which the diversion rejoins the bridleway coincides with the junction of the Knodishall E-354/001 bridleway. This bridleway leads across the haul road and continues on its original course. There are banksmen in attendance but seem completely oblivious to people traisping over the haul road. The intial part of this is also very waterlogged and muddy.
The Public Right of Way (E-354/003) that, when coming from the Friston direction, diverges at the bend in the bridleway to lead via Knodishall Common into Coldfair Green, is now completely blocked up by the Heras fencing. Although the Sandlings route does not go into the hamlet itself, this footpath was regularly used by local people to walk between Coldfair Green and Friston. The alternative is to walk down the road which the bridleway emerges onto.
Other known path issues
In general footpaths are being blocked up and diverted by both the Sizewell C project and the multiple wind-farm projects with little or no public notice. In addition, it seems that many local landowners are also not reinstating public rights of way across their fields. This has been noticeable since the various projects have started and one would guess that they see the opportunity of extinguishing paths just because the projects can get away with it without any culpability.
During the last few years I have made multiple complaints to the Suffolk Council website, where Public Right of Way issues can be logged with detailed reports and photos, about rights of way not being reinstated. The council do respond to say that the landowner has been notified, but in many cases the landowner ignores the request to reinstate. This is, without a doubt, the biggest loss of public rights of way I have ever experienced in my life, and there appears to be no method to petition against this that will result in a positive outcome.
Specific known path issues
The footpath to Reckham pits Woodland from Sandy Lane is fenced off. This was originally the temporary Heras fencing, however a permanent metal fencing has now been erected indicating that this footpath has been extinguished for good. The alternative is to follow the track around the perimeter of the meadow. There is a five bar gate to pass through but this is never locked. This is the Sandy Lane that leads off of Lovers Lane by Common Farm.
The footpath linking Leiston town to the ruins of Leiston Abbey is blocked up. The alternative is to walk along the B1122 or take the field boundary up to the Leiston to Theberton path and return down Abbey Lane.
The footpath linking Leiston and Theberton is open but there is a metal gate that has to be unlocked and opened by an operative. Approaching from the Leiston side, taking the path from Westwood Ho, the works is past the first field, in the dip after the footbridge across the ditch. The route has been slightly changed which is confusing when confronted with the metal fencing directly ahead. Turn left and follow the fencing around to get to the gate. The path will be blocked completely up beteween 7th November 2025 and 30th June 2026 according to a notice on the Theberton side of the path. A diversion will be in place that follows the field boundary down to Abbery Road, then returns up Abbey lane to rejoin the footpath over the next field, adding some 0.75 mile to the jorrney. From Leiston Town Centre, it will be shorter to walk along Station Road and continue along Abbey Road, then head up Abbey Lane. NOTE: although signage is in place for this diversion, access is still available as of 5th December 2025. It is very muddy around the area of the works but passable.
The Bridleway (Sandy Lane - E-363/019) that starts at Common Farm, off Lovers Lane in Leiston has two large signs stating NO SZC TRAFFIC
. As this is a bridleway, it should not be used by any motorised vehicles, which is also clearly stated on a separate sign that has been here for many years. The heath to the side of this land has all been fenced off and a trackway added within the fenced area for the Works traffic, which can be accessed via the field gate. However, the signs are flagrantly ignored by some of the Sizewell C works traffic, presumably so they can save a few minutes of having to alight from their vehicle and open the gate.
Vehicles are also using the opposite end of this bridleway, where it passes the back of the windfarm substation and leads down to the Sizewell road. This is cutting up the path which is now muddy in places because of this.
Similar issues affect other bridleways and byways throughout the area where works traffic for both SZC and Windfarm operations speed along these rough tracks without any regard to pedestrians. Two notable areas are Grimsey Lane off of Redhouse Lane in Leiston and Sloe Lane that leads to Billeaford Hall, south of Coldfair Green. These are popular routes for joggers and dog walkers making this is an accident waiting to happen. Take extra care.
Both Buckleswood Road and Harrow Lane on the west side of Leiston now have works access points. With Buckleswood Road this is for the new railway branch linking the existing line to the Sizewell C power station. With Harrow Lane there is access to a wind farm storage and office space. In both cases there is a noticeable increase in traffic including heavy vehicles along these once seldom used narrow lanes and care should be taken when walking along them.
Buckleswood Road in Leiston will be blocked up from 17th November 2025 until 31st January 2026. The section that will be impassable will be from Wood Farm on the east side to the end of the Works for the proposed new railway on the west side. There are currently diversions in place for motorists but no specific diversion for pedestrians. Following the road diversion on foot would be hazardous due to the nature of the busy Saxmundham road. The best route to follow for pedestrians would be to use the footpath on the right just past Geater's Nurseries as you head west along Buckleswood Road. This crosses the railway to emerge onto Waterloo Avenue, the main road through to Saxmundham. Turn right and follow this until the pavement ends just past the new builds, and before Highbury Cottages. At this point there is a lane on the right with a footpath waymarker. Take this, it crosses the works and leads you back onto Buckleswood road. There is currently no information whether this footpath will be blocked up during this specific period. It was certainly open on the 18th November but the Map Plan for Sizewell C indicates that it will eventually be blocked up together with the path adjacent to Geater's Nurseries.
The footpath that links Aldringham village and Aldringham church has had work undertaken where a section ofthe hedgerow has been removed by the SPR windfarm contractors. The works seem to change the path every week. After a few weeks where the path was diverted around the field, this diversion has now been removed and the path is back in position. No doubt this will change again in the coming weeks.
Potters Street between Theberton and Leiston which is used by many walks on this site as a means to link Leiston and Eastbridge. This is a designated quiet lane which gives pedestrians and horse riders priority. In recent days this appears to have become a bit of a rat run with increased traffic and particularly with aggressive driving by SZC pickup trucks.
Other Notes
It should also be noted that the area has suffered a huge increase in traffic since these projects began and there are several 30mph mandatory speed limits in place with average speed cameras monitoring the roads. Walkers should be aware of the traffic especially walking the lanes and the B1122 where blocked up paths force no alternative but the road. There are also issues within Leiston town centre where traffic lights are persistently ignored by motorists, particularly at rush hour times, with traffic crossing on red lights at speed. The lights at the High Street/Cross Street crossroads have PELICAN crossing for pedestrians. This gives them just 5 seconds to make it across the road. When drivers ignore the red lights, this prevents pedestrians from crossing and the only way to traverse the road is to find, or force, a way through the stream of vehicles. Pedestrians should take extra care when crossing here as it is an accident waiting to happen.
It has been noted that after heavy rains some of the Public Rights of Way along farm tracks used by construction vehicles are becoming very muddy where rain water accumulates and is then mashed up into a quagmire by heavy construction vehicles. This will get worse over the winter months. Where such obstructions hinder progress you are entitled to find a temporary route around the obstruction, ie using the bordering farmland or woodland. See the section PRoW - The Law and Common-Law Principles below.
The mudbath shown above is located at top of the footpath that leads from Fitches Lane between Coldfair and Aldringham between the open fields, and continues up towards the comms mast. The track is currently being used by the windfarm construction vehicles and it is a bit of a mess at this point. What has made matters worse is the hedge has been severely trimmed, with debris left in place causing a trip hazard which results in pedestrians falling into the quagmire. This has been getting progressivly worse for the past few weeks and is now completely impassable on foot. The council have been informed of this.
The way to proceed is to cut through the hedgrow just beyond the end of the Heras fencing - a trodden down path is now visible from many others doing this. Continue to walk up the side of this field which is a lot drier and undisturbed. At the top, cross over the track and do the same along the crop field edge to avoid more mud up to where the path turns to follow the line of the woodland. There is also a big puddle in the dip by the woodland where vehicles are attempting to avoid it and making the way through impassable. To find a way past, step up to the woodland and make your way as best as possible through the trees.
What is infuriating is the fact that, according to the OS map, this is a footpath and consequently should only be traversed on foot with no legal status for vehicular access.
PRoW - The Law and Common-Law Principles
UK law gives walkers and riders a right to pass and repass along the line of the legal path. It does not give a general right to roam onto neighbouring land. The right is limited to the line of the public right of way. This derives from the general definition of a highway:
You may “pass and repass” along the line of the highway, and not elsewhere as specified by the Highways Act 1980 (especially s.137 and s.134).
However, when a path is obstructed, flooded, blocked, or dangerous, the courts recognise a temporary right to “deviate”. There is long-standing case law holding that where a highway is blocked, a traveller may deviate onto the minimum amount of adjoining land necessary to pass around the obstruction, provided:
- The deviation is reasonable
- It is temporary
- It is solely for the purpose of continuing the journey
- You return to the legal line of the path as soon as possible
This is grounded in the common law doctrine of a “lawful excuse” for straying slightly off the highway when the highway is unlawfully obstructed.
Typical applicable circumstances:
- A fallen tree blocking the entire width
- A flooded or impassably muddy section
- A locked or dangerous gate/stile
- Barbed wire or electric fencing blocking the path
- A vehicle parked across the full width
- A slurry-covered or dangerously churned surface from agricultural machinery or 4×4 vehicles
In all these cases you may make only the smallest deviation needed to get around the obstruction.
In Conclusion
You may legally deviate a small, reasonable amount onto adjacent land only when the public right of way is obstructed or impassable, and strictly for the purpose of continuing your onward passage. You may not roam generally, use an alternative route for convenience, or cross land unnecessarily.
For further information see Public Rights of Way – Legal Guidance & Practical Tips
Mobile Phone Network Coverage
It should be noted that the mobile phone network coverage is limited in the area, particularly with the mobile data signal which remains inaccessible for most of the time. This is due to the large increase in the amount of users attempting to access the network from the power station and wind-farm projects, and the lack of infrastructure to accommodate such an increase. This is particularly evident with the O2 network, although we have been led to believe that other networks are similarly affected. This may cause issues if navigating on a device that relies on the mobile data signal. It is recommended to use either cached or downloaded maps on your device, or go back to paper OS maps and compass.
Rumours
I have heard from several sources that contractors for SZC believe that local people are either getting paid amounts for the disruption they are having to endure or are being given free electric. This maybe why they treat local people with contempt. I can categorically state that this is totally untrue.
References and Links
Legislation
The Windfarm legislation contains references to public rights of way that are affected which then reference external documentation (the Public Rights of Way Plan). It would appear that the Plans are currently not available and it is expected that they should eventually be added to the Scottish Renewables Website. The documentation contained on this site for these specific projects is still in the Consultation stage even though major works have already started in the area.
The Windfarm legislation uses references of the type E-{XXX}/{YYY}/{Z}, ie E-363/029/0. There does not appear to be any reference or key within the legislation as to how to interpret these codes, although it would seem that XXX is the parish number, YYY is the Public Right of Way reference from the Definitive map and Z is unknown but always appears to be a value of 0.
By referencing the relevant Parish Definitive Map (see links in the Public Rights of Way section below ), then the specific PRoW can be determined. The relevant parish codes for the windfarm projects are:
- 106
- Aldringham-cum-Thorpe
- 260
- Friston
- 354
- Knodishall
- 363
- Leiston-cum-Sizewell
- 387
- Marlsford
The Sizewell C legislation uses a different set of codes which also do not have any reference or key to interpret them although the references can be found in a Map Plan. These can be found in the Sizewell C Associated Documents section below.
Legislation Links
The links below take you to the relevant legislation for these projects and their respective Schedules that concern the blocking up and diverting of Public Rights of Way.
- The East Anglia ONE North Offshore Wind Farm Order 2022. See Sch. 3 for Public rights of way to be temporarily stopped up and Sch. 4 for Footpaths to be stopped up.
- The East Anglia TWO Offshore Wind Farm Order 2022. See Sch. 3 for Public rights of way to be temporarily stopped up and Sch. 4 for Footpaths to be stopped up.
- The Sizewell C (Nuclear Generating Station) Order 2022. See Sch. 5 for Rights of Way Plans and Sch. 11 for Status of public rights of way created or improved.
Sizewell C Associated Documents
Additional documentation to support the legislation.
- Sizewell C DCO Document Portal
- Rights of Way and Access Strategy (PDF)
- Sizewell C DCO Certified Public Right of Way Plans (PDF)
Public Rights of Way (PRoW) and Definitive Map Links
Relevant links to Public Rights of Way resources including the PArish Definitive Maps and Public Notices.
- Definitive Map and Statement of public rights of way - View working copy definitive maps for a parish, for Suffolk and statement of public rights of way
- 106 Definitive Map for Aldringham-cum-Thorpe parish (PDF)
- 260 Definitive Map for Friston parish (PDF)
- 354 Definitive Map for Knodishall parish (PDF)
- 363 Definitive Map for Leiston-cum-Sizewell parish (PDF)
- 387 Definitive Map for Marlsford parish (PDF)
- Definitive Map for Aldeburgh parish (PDF)
- Public Access Portal to find blocking up orders for roads and footpaths. This requires the visitor to either allow access to their current location or provide a postcode.
Summary of Document Changes
- 2025-05-21 : Initial publication
- 2025-07-22 : Add in updates and more images
- 2025-07-31 : Adjust Theberton to Leiston path updates for changes to the path diversion
- 2025-08-22 : Add in details of diversions on the Sandlings path, access along Buckleswood Road and Harrow Lane plus a new section on Mobile Phone Coverage
- 2025-08-27 : Copy check and review. Updates where necessary
- 2025-09-03 : Add in new tag and links to diverted paths
- 2025-09-09 : Add in issue with Aldringham path diversion issue
- 2025-09-12 : More updates for the Aldringham footpath. Plus additional warnings about works traffic
- 2025-09-20 : Add in references section.
- 2025-10-01 : Add additional links to the relevent legislation Schedules.
- 2025-10-24 : Potter Street info. Meadow on Sandy lane changes, plus new beach image
- 2025-10-27 : Add in link to Public Access Portal for finding blocking up orders
- 2025-10-30 : Added in diversions for the Leiston/Theberton footpath and the Aldringham church footpath
- 2025-10-31 : Add in details of Buckleswood Road being blocked up
- 2025-11-03 : Updated main map image that includes the proposed Suffolk Water Recycling, Transfer and Storage project
- 2025-11-12 : Added photo example of the muddy rights of walk that are being churned up by contractor traffic
- 2025-11-16 : Closure of the England Coast Path
- 2025-11-18 : Buckleswood Road - information of the diversion to take as a pedestrian
- 2025-11-18 : Update legislaiton section - add in additional information to locate plans and interpret PRoW codes
- 2025-11-26 : Update image as example of the quagmires caused by construction traffic on footpaths
- 2025-12-05 : Update to the Leiston to Theberton footpath plus various other updates
- 2025-12-10 : Updates for the Aldringham Church path, the path off of Fitche's Lane, and the diversion in place along the Sandlings path between Coldfair and Friston. Also added in a Legal section to advise on getting around impassamble and obstructed public rights of way
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