Natural England’s insistence on introducing a statutory right of access over land around Weymouth Bay will result in a negligent waste of money – according to the CLA, the Country Land and Business Association.
The comments follow the publication of Natural England’s document relating to the first stretch of the All-England Coastal Path: Coastal Access Weymouth Bay – which has been approved by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Caroline Spelman – but the CLA says it recreates public access that already exists and will represent a backward step in access provision for much of the proposed area.
CLA South West Director, John Mortimer, said that approximately 4 miles of the “new” route” is owned by the The Lulworth Estate which has provided open access and recreation areas along this stretch of coastline and the beaches for nearly 100 years. The estate, he said, had also provided an exemplary management regime, conserving and caring for the coast as well as providing a ranger service to maintain and repair the paths whenever needed and to ensure the safety of the users – at no cost at all to the public purse..
“Natural England is proposing to replace a system which has provided a fantastic public benefit for hundreds of thousands of people apid for by private finance with a statutory route.. That means Natural England will assume the responsibility for maintaining and managing the access and that they will also assume responsibility for the cost of doing so – and that is an indefensible waste of public money.”
Mr Mortimer said the situation at Lulworth was a clear demonstration that the access provisions of the Marine and Coastal Access Act needed to be rethought.
Lulworth, he said, had not only looked after and conserved the coast, but had championed the World Heritage Site and made sure that the many thousands of visitors who come every year had every opportunity to access and enjoy what is a spectacular part of our natural heritage.
“This whole exercise appears to be a waste of time and money and appears to us represent more of a symbolic gesture than any improvement to access to the coast. People feel frustrated and let down because the vast majority of this part of our coast has been easily accessible from a combination of the South West Coast Path with additional access provided by the local land owners.”
CLA Dorset member, James Weld, the owner of the Lulworth Estate, said: ”This is a backward step in the provision of public access in the Lulworth area. It is very clear that Natural England do not have the resources to maintain the level of access previously provided and certainly not at the standard to which it has been kept for many years by the Estate.”
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Bid to reinstate ‘lost’ rights of way ‘costly and inappropriate’ says CLA
Landowners in Somerset have condemned laws which have enabled a local access group to attempt to resurrect lost or defunct rights of way at a potential cost to the taxpayer of more than £1million.
The South Somerset Bridleways Association has applied to Somerset County Council to have around 200 rights of way reinstated on to the Definitive Maps – bridleways the Association says were mistakenly missed off the map.
But the CLA says that the whole costly and time-consuming exercise underlines an essential flaw in the system which it has been campaigning to change for years.
Of the 240 applications submitted to Somerset County Council’s Rights of Way Department, more than four-fifths were submitted by the SSBA. The CLA says it misses the point of how to bring about improvements and positive gains to the rights of way system.
“The cost of processing each application can be as much as £7,000 – excluding the cost of physically reinstating the bridleway - and with the number of applications already in the pipeline, it will take the county council until 2036 to process them – 10 years beyond the date when the Definitive Map is due to be closed. And we believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg. The issues that have come to light in Somerset are being replicated throughout the country with a potential cost to the public purse many millions of pounds,” said CLA South West spokesman Paul Millard.
He said a costly and ill-fated effort to put disused rights of way back on the definitive map, initiated by Natural England under the Discovering Lost Ways project, had been abandoned four years ago – but the door had been left open for user groups to attempt to reinstate rights of way which they claim were not lost, simply not properly recorded.
Mr Millard said: “It is difficult to believe this is really what the public wants to see its money spent on. If we really want to make our rights of way fit for 21st Century rather than 19th Century demand then we need to move away from the premise of increasing the amount of access at whatever cost. We need to look at improving what is already there.
“There appear to have been mistakes in the applications by the South Somerset Bridleways Association which had also failed to make sufficient effort to contact the owners of the land affected.
“My understanding is that if the SSBA wishes to pursue these applications it will have to re-submit them – but we would urge the Association to think long and hard about the financial and practical consequences of their action before doing so. Surely they – and all the other access groups – would be better served working with landowners to achieve a system of voluntary or permissive access routes by mutual agreement.”
Any landowner concerned or affected by the proposals should, he said, contact the CLA Regional Office on 01249 700 200 for advice.
For further information on the CLA go to www.cla.org.uk
The South Somerset Bridleways Association has applied to Somerset County Council to have around 200 rights of way reinstated on to the Definitive Maps – bridleways the Association says were mistakenly missed off the map.
But the CLA says that the whole costly and time-consuming exercise underlines an essential flaw in the system which it has been campaigning to change for years.
Of the 240 applications submitted to Somerset County Council’s Rights of Way Department, more than four-fifths were submitted by the SSBA. The CLA says it misses the point of how to bring about improvements and positive gains to the rights of way system.
“The cost of processing each application can be as much as £7,000 – excluding the cost of physically reinstating the bridleway - and with the number of applications already in the pipeline, it will take the county council until 2036 to process them – 10 years beyond the date when the Definitive Map is due to be closed. And we believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg. The issues that have come to light in Somerset are being replicated throughout the country with a potential cost to the public purse many millions of pounds,” said CLA South West spokesman Paul Millard.
He said a costly and ill-fated effort to put disused rights of way back on the definitive map, initiated by Natural England under the Discovering Lost Ways project, had been abandoned four years ago – but the door had been left open for user groups to attempt to reinstate rights of way which they claim were not lost, simply not properly recorded.
Mr Millard said: “It is difficult to believe this is really what the public wants to see its money spent on. If we really want to make our rights of way fit for 21st Century rather than 19th Century demand then we need to move away from the premise of increasing the amount of access at whatever cost. We need to look at improving what is already there.
“There appear to have been mistakes in the applications by the South Somerset Bridleways Association which had also failed to make sufficient effort to contact the owners of the land affected.
“My understanding is that if the SSBA wishes to pursue these applications it will have to re-submit them – but we would urge the Association to think long and hard about the financial and practical consequences of their action before doing so. Surely they – and all the other access groups – would be better served working with landowners to achieve a system of voluntary or permissive access routes by mutual agreement.”
Any landowner concerned or affected by the proposals should, he said, contact the CLA Regional Office on 01249 700 200 for advice.
For further information on the CLA go to www.cla.org.uk
Thursday, January 5, 2012
New Network Offers SW Hotline to Government
Landowners and rural business leaders in the South West have given a: “thumbs up” to news that the new Rural and Farming Networks will be getting a hotline to the heart of Government.
Country Land and Business Association South West Director, John Mortimer, says that the announcement by Agriculture Minister, Jim Paice, will revitalise direct lines of communication by establishing a new conduit to government.
“This decision will give us direct route to the Minister and his advisers and will help us to have a direct influence on future rural policies - and that has to be welcome news indeed,” said Mr Mortimer.
However, he said he was concerned that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly were to be cut off from the neighbouring counties of the South West and left to fight their own corner.
“One of the most critical problems that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly face is their isolation and long communication lines up country. Of course, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have specific, local, issues too and the creation of a separate R&F group will, hopefully, ensure that these issues obtain high prominence with Government.
“Our concern is that we don’t want to see divisions within the South West and we are anxious to re-establish the effective lines of communication we have previously enjoyed. Our hope is that the two Rural and Farming networks covering the whole of the South West will be able to work effectively together and the CLA will do its utmost to facilitate this.”
The fourteen new networks are designed to bring together people from rural communities, rural businesses and the food and farming industries and help the Government to create new opportunities with better and more targeted policy
Speaking at the Oxford Farming Conference, the Minister also promised that Defra would become the ‘listening department’ that would understand and promote the interests of rural communities and businesses, based on direct contact with the people whose livelihoods they were championing.
His comments came on the same day as the Secretary of State, Caroline Spelman, admitted that an urban-rural divide existed and that, in many instances rural communities and rural businesses had been left to their own devices to try to find solutions to the problems they faced - such as adequate broadband connections.
“It is encouraging that the Minister has finally acknowledged the depth of inequality between urban and rural areas. Much needs to be done to ensure fairness for rural communities and businesses and we are optimistic about what the Rural and Farming Networks might achieve,” said Mr. Mortimer.
Country Land and Business Association South West Director, John Mortimer, says that the announcement by Agriculture Minister, Jim Paice, will revitalise direct lines of communication by establishing a new conduit to government.
“This decision will give us direct route to the Minister and his advisers and will help us to have a direct influence on future rural policies - and that has to be welcome news indeed,” said Mr Mortimer.
However, he said he was concerned that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly were to be cut off from the neighbouring counties of the South West and left to fight their own corner.
“One of the most critical problems that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly face is their isolation and long communication lines up country. Of course, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have specific, local, issues too and the creation of a separate R&F group will, hopefully, ensure that these issues obtain high prominence with Government.
“Our concern is that we don’t want to see divisions within the South West and we are anxious to re-establish the effective lines of communication we have previously enjoyed. Our hope is that the two Rural and Farming networks covering the whole of the South West will be able to work effectively together and the CLA will do its utmost to facilitate this.”
The fourteen new networks are designed to bring together people from rural communities, rural businesses and the food and farming industries and help the Government to create new opportunities with better and more targeted policy
Speaking at the Oxford Farming Conference, the Minister also promised that Defra would become the ‘listening department’ that would understand and promote the interests of rural communities and businesses, based on direct contact with the people whose livelihoods they were championing.
His comments came on the same day as the Secretary of State, Caroline Spelman, admitted that an urban-rural divide existed and that, in many instances rural communities and rural businesses had been left to their own devices to try to find solutions to the problems they faced - such as adequate broadband connections.
“It is encouraging that the Minister has finally acknowledged the depth of inequality between urban and rural areas. Much needs to be done to ensure fairness for rural communities and businesses and we are optimistic about what the Rural and Farming Networks might achieve,” said Mr. Mortimer.
Business and Individuals Need to Step Up to the Challenge of 2012
2012 will see major changes to the planning process which will require individuals and organisations representing the land based sector and wider rural business to step up to the mark and ensure that their voice is clearly heard.
That’s the message this week from the chairman of the Dorset branch of the CLA, James Selby Bennett, who says that Dorset will start the year with a new LEP which has a substantial rural enterprise element in it and which he hopes will provide a much-needed mechanism for cross fertilisation of ideas and of concerns between the public sector and the private sector.
“We are fortunate to already have had a good response from within the CLA to supporting the LEP and putting forward the arguments which have ensured that our LEP has a vibrant and recognised rural element.
“But we will need to be prepared to get engaged at every level with our local authorities and with the government agencies that are so important to our affairs. Our association will lead the way and will be available to help and advise us - but at the end of the day a lot is going to depend upon us individual landowners and rural businessmen being prepared to engage in dialogue, in order to protect and enhance our rural enterprises.”
Mr Selby Bennett said that the inescapable event of 2012, The Olympic Games, should provide a genuine legacy for Dorset - particularly in terms of broadband and mobile phone coverage.
Even though the event will be confined to the south coast, Mr Selby Bennett said the whole of Dorset was likely to be affected by the Olympic Game. There would, he said, inevitably, be:” a fair bit of disruption with road and rail systems already beginning to creak” but he was equally confident this would be offset by increased demand for goods and services throughout the county.
“I hope that the Olympics will give our local economy a much needed boost and I believe, not least due to hard work and lobbying by the CLA, there will be some substantial Olympic legacy,” he said.
That’s the message this week from the chairman of the Dorset branch of the CLA, James Selby Bennett, who says that Dorset will start the year with a new LEP which has a substantial rural enterprise element in it and which he hopes will provide a much-needed mechanism for cross fertilisation of ideas and of concerns between the public sector and the private sector.
“We are fortunate to already have had a good response from within the CLA to supporting the LEP and putting forward the arguments which have ensured that our LEP has a vibrant and recognised rural element.
“But we will need to be prepared to get engaged at every level with our local authorities and with the government agencies that are so important to our affairs. Our association will lead the way and will be available to help and advise us - but at the end of the day a lot is going to depend upon us individual landowners and rural businessmen being prepared to engage in dialogue, in order to protect and enhance our rural enterprises.”
Mr Selby Bennett said that the inescapable event of 2012, The Olympic Games, should provide a genuine legacy for Dorset - particularly in terms of broadband and mobile phone coverage.
Even though the event will be confined to the south coast, Mr Selby Bennett said the whole of Dorset was likely to be affected by the Olympic Game. There would, he said, inevitably, be:” a fair bit of disruption with road and rail systems already beginning to creak” but he was equally confident this would be offset by increased demand for goods and services throughout the county.
“I hope that the Olympics will give our local economy a much needed boost and I believe, not least due to hard work and lobbying by the CLA, there will be some substantial Olympic legacy,” he said.
CLA has a key role to play in 2012
2012 will be a year when organisations representing rural interests will have to work together to ensure that the needs of the countryside weigh equally with urban issues in the Heart of the SW Local Enterprise Partnership – and the CLA has a crucial role to play in making that happen.
That was the message this week from the chairman of the Devon branch of the CLA, Laura Leigh, who said that the year ahead would also bring fresh challenges for Devon in the formation of grassroots opinion on CAP reform, planning, taxation, food and farm security, and broadband provision.
“The roll out of the new superfast broadband network will also present the challenge of ensuring that adequate coverage is provided to all rural as well as all urban areas. Looking ahead it is clear that bovine TB and reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy are coming to a head and 2012 looks like defining years for both.
“The CLA Devon committee works hard to represent the interests of our members via the region, through our national team and on to Government – but our ability to do so relies heavily upon our own local knowledge and the feedback we get from our members at a county level.
“In these difficult economic times, belonging to the CLA is still incredibly good value. Access to our advisors or a conversation with one of our experts may well provide information that could cost an arm or a leg elsewhere – so I advise everybody involved in rural business or the land based sector to make membership of the CLA a priority in the coming year,” she said.
That was the message this week from the chairman of the Devon branch of the CLA, Laura Leigh, who said that the year ahead would also bring fresh challenges for Devon in the formation of grassroots opinion on CAP reform, planning, taxation, food and farm security, and broadband provision.
“The roll out of the new superfast broadband network will also present the challenge of ensuring that adequate coverage is provided to all rural as well as all urban areas. Looking ahead it is clear that bovine TB and reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy are coming to a head and 2012 looks like defining years for both.
“The CLA Devon committee works hard to represent the interests of our members via the region, through our national team and on to Government – but our ability to do so relies heavily upon our own local knowledge and the feedback we get from our members at a county level.
“In these difficult economic times, belonging to the CLA is still incredibly good value. Access to our advisors or a conversation with one of our experts may well provide information that could cost an arm or a leg elsewhere – so I advise everybody involved in rural business or the land based sector to make membership of the CLA a priority in the coming year,” she said.
Cornwall CLA Chairman says 2012 offers a Year of Opportunity
2011, was a year of reality, cuts and confusion. Talk of double dip recessions, the end of the Euro, the first anniversary of a coalition government; all of which have set the backdrop for the undoubted challenges of the year ahead – but there will be new opportunities as well.
That was the message from the chairman of the Cornwall branch of the CLA, Andrew Williams, who said that, in Cornwall, there had been some notable successes during 2011 – such as broadband, the Local Enterprise Partnership and renewable energy – and he said that although there might be hurdles to overcome, 2012 was full of potential.
Mr Williams said that the ability for Cornwall to be a national leader in the roll out of the new superfast broadband network also presented the challenge of ensuring that adequate coverage is provided to all rural as well as all urban areas.
“We shall continue to pester the BT delivery team to ensure that rural “not spots” are given as high a priority as urban centres, “he said.
Cornwall also led the way with the formation of its Local Enterprise Partnership and Mr Williams said he was working closely with the NFU, the Cornwall Agri-Food Council and Chris Pomfret, chairman of the Cornwall LEP, to identify how the land-based sector could be most effective in representing and influencing rural economic issues in Cornwall.
“Although the Government has moved the goalposts on some aspects of the renewable sector, the overriding opportunities for us here in Cornwall still look positive and we should embrace them - not only to realise the potentials, but also to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Hopefully, we can see the marine, tidal and wave sectors developing positively here as well.”
As 2011 drew to a close he said bovine TB and reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy were both coming to a head.
“The national and European teams within the CLA are working hard to deliver the right solutions and 2012 looks like a defining year for both. As to their outcomes, we have traditionally, in Cornwall, thrived on the ability to tackle the obstacles and hurdles placed in our way with innovative and imaginative solutions,” he said.
Ends
For further information on this Press Release please contact CLA South West PR and Communications Manager, Paul Millard on 01380 830179 or 07831 674345.
For further information on the CLA go to www.cla.org.uk
That was the message from the chairman of the Cornwall branch of the CLA, Andrew Williams, who said that, in Cornwall, there had been some notable successes during 2011 – such as broadband, the Local Enterprise Partnership and renewable energy – and he said that although there might be hurdles to overcome, 2012 was full of potential.
Mr Williams said that the ability for Cornwall to be a national leader in the roll out of the new superfast broadband network also presented the challenge of ensuring that adequate coverage is provided to all rural as well as all urban areas.
“We shall continue to pester the BT delivery team to ensure that rural “not spots” are given as high a priority as urban centres, “he said.
Cornwall also led the way with the formation of its Local Enterprise Partnership and Mr Williams said he was working closely with the NFU, the Cornwall Agri-Food Council and Chris Pomfret, chairman of the Cornwall LEP, to identify how the land-based sector could be most effective in representing and influencing rural economic issues in Cornwall.
“Although the Government has moved the goalposts on some aspects of the renewable sector, the overriding opportunities for us here in Cornwall still look positive and we should embrace them - not only to realise the potentials, but also to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Hopefully, we can see the marine, tidal and wave sectors developing positively here as well.”
As 2011 drew to a close he said bovine TB and reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy were both coming to a head.
“The national and European teams within the CLA are working hard to deliver the right solutions and 2012 looks like a defining year for both. As to their outcomes, we have traditionally, in Cornwall, thrived on the ability to tackle the obstacles and hurdles placed in our way with innovative and imaginative solutions,” he said.
Ends
For further information on this Press Release please contact CLA South West PR and Communications Manager, Paul Millard on 01380 830179 or 07831 674345.
For further information on the CLA go to www.cla.org.uk
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