Labour backbenchers are pressing the government to revive a right to roam policy in England after a supreme court ruling enshrined the right to wild camp on Dartmoor.
The court ruled this week that camping on the national park was legal after a multimillionaire hedge fund manager tried to remove the right to camp on his Devon estate, and by extension from the rest of the park.
There is a legal right to roam over only 8% of England, with the rest subject to landowner permission. Dartmoor is the only place in the country where there is a right to wild camp. Scotland has had a right to roam since 2003.
In opposition, Labour committed to a Scottish-style right to roam, where there would be an assumed right for English people to walk around the countryside. However, the party U-turned after pressure from countryside groups.
The environment secretary, Steve Reed, has ruled out the idea, saying: “Our intention is to increase access to the countryside, but in a responsible way, not as a free-for-all.”
Phil Brickell, the Labour MP for Bolton West, said: “The barriers preventing millions of people from enjoying and caring for our countryside are a legacy of a bygone era and urgently need replacing.
“It’s time to resolve the issues of access to the English countryside once and for all. That must mean legislating for a widespread right to roam covering land and water, which removes access islands, allows responsible wild camping in national parks and increases connectivity to nature for everyone, regardless of where you live.”
Andy MacNae, the Labour MP for Rossendale and Darwen, added: “It’s a relief that the supreme court have recognised the range of activities that make up outdoor recreation. The government now have the opportunity to build on this, not only expanding our right to access nature but also the activities we can enjoy when in it, such as kayaking, climbing or wild camping.
“At the heart of this must be an effort to expand access to the widest possible group of people. Nature should be there in our cities, towns and new housing developments, so that anyone can access green or blue spaces within 15 minutes.”
The two MPs are part of a new all-party parliamentary group for outdoor recreation and access to nature that will be producing research and calling on the government to extend access to nature.
Alex Sobel, the MP for Leeds Central, said of the ruling: “We need to make this the start of a much wider access to nature than people currently enjoy.”
The Liberal Democrats are also calling for greater rights of access over the English countryside, starting with a legal right to wild camp across the UK.
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Caroline Voaden, the Lib Dem MP for South Devon, said: “I hope we can begin work to extend our right to wild camp beyond Dartmoor. In opposition, Labour spoke about extending the right to wild camp across the UK. I hope they will put those words into action and expand access rights for walkers and campers across the country.”
There are fears that government policy will reduce access to green spaces for people across England. The Guardian has recently revealed that housing developers will be able to build on once-protected green spaces without having to replace the loss of nature in nearby areas.
New nature areas, parks and community gardens created to offset the removal of green spaces to make way for housing developments may not even have to be in the same county, under the new planning and infrastructure bill.
The government is resisting attempts to enshrine legal access over more of the English countryside.
The nature minister Mary Creagh said: “Wild camping under the stars is one of life’s great pleasures, so I welcome today’s ruling which upholds that right on Dartmoor’s common land. This government is passionate about bringing people closer to nature by creating nine national river walks and three new national forests.”
