New footpath plan drawn up to end 20-year dispute
NEW proposals have been drawn up to resolve a long-running dispute over a Waltham footpath.
The route of the footpath, which runs across farmland between Barnoldby Road and Brigsley Road, has been a bone of contention for years.
In 1991, the now defunct Humberside County Council was found guilty of maladministration by the Local Government Ombudsman for its failure to resolve the issue.
But more than 20 years on, the dispute is still rumbling on.
Urgently seeking two / four bedroom properties for our lengthy list of possible suitable tenants with the lowest fees in town and excellent turn around rate for sourcing and managing.
Terms: Terms and Conditions Apply
Contact: 01472 355 553
Valid until: Thursday, June 20 2013
And now North East Lincolnshire Council has approved a public path diversion order based on the new proposals – but is bracing itself for objections.
The council made a previous order in 2009 to divert the existing footpath, which runs in a straight line across the land, to the west, away from the edge of the fishing pond at the northern end of the site for public safety reasons.
But the order was objected to by the owners of Sunk Farm land and Sandon House land, as the proposed route crossed their land.
The council has now drawn up some slight revisions to the route – which were approved by the planning committee last week.
However, it is understood that these changes have failed to satisfy the landowners, who are likely to object again.
Slight changes have also been made to the southern section of the route after the major landowner claimed that the previously proposed layout would encourage trespass, because it crossed a farm access track which runs towards Brigsley Road.
Councillor Philip Jackson (Con, Waltham) said: "I have a lot of sympathy for the officers on this one, because it has gone backwards and forwards for longer than I've been a councillor for Waltham.
"It is a classic example of you can't please all the people all the time. I think whichever route we eventully choose somebody is going to object to it.
"My view is we ought to run with these proposals to see what objections we get. We have got to try to draw this dispute to a close."
If any unresolved objections are made, the order will be referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
Comments
by not2bothered
Monday, October 29 2012, 12:47PM
“Maybe the major land owner should invest in a bull. That would keep me away. Throw in some crocodiles for good measure too, plus a shotgun, and it's happy days for everyone but trespassers.”