The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) today said it was "relieved" that parks and gardens are to be excluded from the Marine and Coastal Access Bill but warned of a "veiled threat".

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Huw Irranca-Davies made the statement earlier today regarding the Bill, which aims to create a round-England coastal path. CLA President Henry Aubrey-Fletcher said: "We are relieved the Minister has decided to exclude private parks and gardens from the Bill. It is a fair and proportionate. However, we are concerned by the Minister's decision to conduct trials in private parks around the coastline to see whether access can be continuous.

"Even before this Bill, 70 percent of the English coastline was available to walkers. The remaining 30 percent is not accessible for very good reasons, namely ports, harbours, military bases and areas left for environmental purposes. This showed that it is perfectly possible to create coastal routes without impinging on private parks and gardens."

Natural England will conduct these trials in the hope that landowners will concede - the threat being that if not enough do, it will be made compulsory.

The rural economy experts' President added: "Although the CLA has been against the implementation of this coastal access from the beginning, we are pleased the Government has shown it can be trusted to deliver access in a way which is fair and, if these proposed trials go ahead, takes into account the interests of locals."