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Wiltshire Councillor for Atworth, Holt and Staverton. Learn more
by trevorcarbin on 27 March, 2012
Wiltshire Council has received an application from the owner of Holt Manor to close two lengths of footpath in the field to the south of The Manor, and replace them with a route nearer to Leigh Road.
For details see the map at http://php.wiltshire.gov.uk/row/ppo/201202.pdf
and the application at http://php.wiltshire.gov.uk/row/ppo/getppo.php?id=88
Wiltshire Council will consult with the parish council, residents and interest groups such as the Ramblers Association, before preparing a report for senior officers seeking approval to either make the order or refuse the application.
According to the applicant the purpose of the changes is “for the safety of the public and for the well-being of animals”.
At the Parish Council meeting on February 23rd Rights of Way officer Janice Green and footpath warden Paul Millard explained the process that has to be gone through as a result of the application. Initially there will be a period of informal consultation during which people can make their views known, and if Wiltshire Council decides to proceed then the formal procedure starts with a further consultation. In the public part of the meeting several residents stated their opposition to the plans. As the initial consultation period hasn’t yet started, and due to the workload of WC officers may not begin for some time, the PC agreed to call a special meeting beforehand to allow everyone to have their say. This was held on March 26th. Updates will be on the Holt website at http://holtvillage.info/
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Your Say: “I object to this proposed diversion. I have lived in Holt for 16 years and walked these footpaths many times. There have been several small changes over this time which did not seem to have any justification other than the privacy of the occupant of Holt Manor. However this diversion carries that objective too far and seems part of the present occupant’s plan to progressively deny local people the freedoms they enjoyed before he bought the estate. From my experience the reasons given are not valid as I have seen few animals and never witnessed any chasing or anything and creating a narrow footpath fenced with barbed wire as he has, does not sit well with public safety – more like a prison exercise yard.” Holt Resident.
4 Comments
Surely the new owner knew about the footpaths when he bought Holt Manor, there are now signs along the barbed wire corridors (constructed by the new owner) threatening us with footpath closure if we dont behave ! There are also signs telling us that the road (now bordered by wooden posts – constructed by the new owner) is a private drive and more new signs channel traffic along the main road- when is all this going to end. These fields used to be full of sheep no danger to us and village people kept their dogs either out of these fields or under control. The barbed wire corridors are far more a danger to us especially when wet and slippery. Why cannot newcomers live in harmony with residents who have used these paths some for several generations.
My wife and I walk these footpaths on a regular basis and have never experienced any safety issue. Footpath 8 is a particularly attractive route and if the landowner wishes to fence this in for whatever reason, it could simply be moved a few metres to the north and follow the line of the new field boundary.It is quite unreasonable to ask the public to divert along the newly erected footpath through B J I and H on the application. Furthermore the newly created footpaths are unsightly,bounded as they are with barbed wire fencing, which in my view constitute a health hazard.
The reasons advanced for the closure of the footpaths `safety of public and well being of animals`are the most arrant nonsense. These fields have been walked by generations of villagers, at least 75 years from personal knowledge, through changing farming methods, changes of type of stock, changes of tenant and there has never been an occasion when the well being or safety of either public or animals has been compromised. There is absolutely no reason to close these footpaths and I object most strongly
Thankyou for joining Holt villagers a couple of weeks ago, to see for yourself the proposed footpath diversions.
As you know, I object to the proposed diversions. The proposed closure of Footpath 8, to be rerouted to the south and west and joining with footpath 16, makes no sense at all. If the true reason for rerouting is to protect public and animal well-being, the most logical diversion proposal would have been to reroute footpath 8 alongside the north-eastern boundary of the field, doglegging back to the present stile at the gated entry to the Manor House itself. This would have been following much the same route as the original line of footpath 8, and would allow the owner of the field to fence in pedestrians to prevent them from mixing with livestock. the fact that the owner has chosen to go to the expense of the longer diversion to the southern edge of the field suggests that his prime motivation is other than human/livestock separation.
Further, the proposed rerouting loses the lovely view that is had from footpath 8, across to the downs and the plain. The new route is sunless and gloomy, with no quality view in substitution.
Finally, the loss of the present footpath 8 route also means the loss of a lovely and oft used circular route, where footpaths 16 and 8 provide either the outward or return leg of the circle.
Please will you ensure my objection is considered as and when Wiltshire Council take a view on the proposed reroutings.