Gloucestershire benefactor ensures public paths are well marked
The public paths around Cheltenham in Gloucestershire continue to be well marked, thanks to the far-sightedness of Cheltenham benefactor Herbert Lucas Bradbury. Mr Bradbury died in 1959 leaving £1,500 on trust for erecting and maintaining signposts on public paths within a six-mile radius of Cheltenham Post Office. The fund, known as the Bradbury Bequest,…
Read MoreWellow path safe
With the Ramblers’ Association, we have saved a path at Wellow, five miles south of Bath, from being moved to an inferior route. This follows a public inquiry held on 2 November into Bath and North East Somerset Council’s (BANES) plans to move the path. The existing route runs from Bull’s Hill south to join…
Read MoreBlocked path reopened at Charlcombe, Bath
A blocked path at Valley View Road, Charlcombe, near Bath has been reopened, following pressure from the society. Supporting a local member, we mobilised the local councillor and the Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) Council’s parks department and public rights of way department. The path, which leads to the allotments and a local football…
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Cornwall’s flagship footpath illegally blocked
We have called on Cornwall Council to act swiftly in reopening the illegally-blocked section of the South West Coast Path at Carlyon Bay, near St Austell in Cornwall. The route has been partially blocked by fencing and a portacabin, erected in connection with Commercial Estates Group Ltd’s multi-million-pound development, and our member Gloria Price has…
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Plymouth Council drops Plymstock path-change plan
Plymouth City Council has decided not to proceed with a plan to alter the route of a public footpath across open farmland north of Hooe Lane, Plymstock. The landowner had applied to move the footpath from across the field to the field edge, around two sides of a triangle, on grounds which included avoiding conflict…
Read MoreBodmin Moor saved from monstrous turbines
We are delighted that Cornwall Council’s planning committee has rejected the application for 20 wind turbines at Davidstow Wood, adjoining Bodmin Moor, at its meeting on 22 July. Says Kate Ashbrook, our general secretary: ‘We opposed the application because of the disastrous effect these monstrous turbines and their associated development would have on the beautiful,…
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New step in campaign for Yeovil Rec
Somerset County Council has agreed that there will be a public inquiry into the application to register Yeovil Rec (Mudford Recreation Ground), Yeovil, as a town green. The council has resolved to hold an inquiry at which barrister Leslie Blohm QC will act as inspector. The inquiry will be held over the summer. We have…
Read MoreBeauty-spot footpaths saved
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has ruled that two popular and well-used footpaths at the fifteenth-century Sudeley Castle, near Winchcombe in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, will remain public rights of way. Welcoming the decision, our local correspondent, Gerry Stewart, said, ‘We were delighted to support the many…
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Hardy heritage under threat
We have objected to a plan to move the historic footpath leading to the cottage where Thomas Hardy’s fictitious heroine, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, was born and brought up. Dorset County Council has received an application from the owner of Tess Cottage (formerly Barton Cottage) to move Marnhull footpath 25, which currently follows an historic…
Read MoreNew green in Highworth
Local campaigners have won a new village green at Barra Close, Highworth near Swindon. However, approximately 5,000 square feet of the land had been fenced off during a neighbour dispute, and this part of the land still has to be registered as village green. This week the fences were removed and now local campaigners are…
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