PROW NEWS – JULY UPDATES
- Vacancies for Parish FP Observers (PFOs)
You are probably aware of what we like our PFOs to do – basically to walk all the paths in their parish at least once a year, and report any problems to KCC. It’s an enjoyable way of fulfilling a valuable volunteer role. If you are moved to volunteer, or need any more information, do please contact Margaret Milsted-Williamson, who looks after the network and organises the annual PFO meeting.
Vacant parishes right now:
- Sandwich
- Woodnesborough
- Worth
Every parish also has a Local Officer (LFO), who will be ready to offer advice etc. should you need it. They will also be interested to learn of any serious problems you may encounter.
- Langdon & St Margaret’s parishes – order made to create a new restricted byway – of doubtful practical use (ER307)
A Hugh Craddock claim which is unfortunately little practical use to man nor beast (literally). The new route will run from Lucerne Lane in Martin at GR 340 470 for ¾ mile east-south-eastwards, passing under the railway. The problem is that it will emerge onto the main Dover-Deal A258 at GR 351 467, a little way west of Oxney Bottom. This is a relatively narrow, very busy road with no footways, and it is a long way to the next nearest right of way. No walker or horse rider will feel comfortable in walking/riding along this road, although things must have been very different in 1945, the last time the route was shown on an OS map.
- Order made to upgrade Nonington footpath EE323 to restricted byway
A Hugh Craddock claim which was turned down by KCC, but his subsequent appeal to the Planning Inspectorate was successful. This route runs from the Chillenden to Elvington road junction at St Alban’s Downs (GR 273 526), south-eastwards for almost a mile through to the existing byway EE335, which runs from Thorntonhill to Elvington, at GR 283 515.
- Order made to create a new restricted byway (Nonington EE503)
Another Hugh Craddock appeal supported by the Planning Inspectorate. This order will create a short (70 yds) restricted byway south-eastwards along the track just south of Sandwich Road, opposite byway EE280 (Gooseberry Hall Lane) at GR 270 528. It leads to Grannies Lane, the road to Elvington.
Development proposals affecting PROW:
- New large (300 acres) solar farm proposed in Eastry and Nonington parishes
The formal application for the “Elvington Solar Farm” (Elvington village is some ½ mile to the south) has just been made to Dover DC under planning reference 25/00709. There is plenty of information and maps (especially useful: “Landscape Mitigation”) on the DDC website, but basically a large development is proposed, in four separate but adjoining parcels:
“Field A”: The northernmost, is situated north of Thornton Road and east of Thornton Lane, as far north as bridleway EE488, the eastern continuation of Black Lane. “Field B”: South of Thornton Road (the road from the A256 to Chillenden), with the short footpath EE324 as its western boundary.
“Field C”: Again south of Thornton Road, with as its SW boundary footpath EE323, and as its NW boundary footpaths EE264 and EE263. In reality, the footpaths cited as boundaries (especially EE323) will actually run through the solar farm as a whole.
“Field D”: The furthest south. Byway EE335 will be its SE boundary (as it will for “Field C”) with EE323 and EE264 as the NE and northern boundaries respectively.
A map will certainly be helpful!
- New housing in Ringwould village
On 12 June the Dover DC Planning Committee granted outline planning permission for the building of nine detached homes just off the main A258 in Ringwould village (application ref. 24/00165). Much of the housing will be built on the site of the former Ringwould Alpines Nursery. Footpath ER14, a well-used route from Ringwould to St. Margaret’s, runs along the north-eastern boundary of the site, but the existing screen of bushes etc. will be improved, so there should be little sight of the houses from the path. There was also talk of resurfacing that part of the path, but it’s not clear from the approval document whether that will actually take place or not.
As always, if you would like more details about any of the issues mentioned above, or any others for that matter, please contact Roger King on 07779 533 583, or e-mail roger.rambler89@outlook.com
