Annual General Meeting
On 4 February 2012 we held a very successful AGM. [read
more...]
Capel Battery Site
In the 2011 Annual Review we told how a piece of access land on the cliff top between Folkestone and Dover changed hands in 2009 and was fenced off by the landowner in 2010. Kent County Council made two attempts to install access points in 2011 and in both cases the landowner quickly removed or obstructed them. At the time of writing the Annual Review, the matter had been referred to the Magistrates’ Court at Canterbury but the hearing adjourned until January 2012.
So it was on a snowy morning in late January that your intrepid team from White Cliffs Group, plus Kent Area Secretary, turned up at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court. The Kent County Council public rights of way team were also there in force for what was believed to be the first judicial consideration of the provisions of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 relating to Access Land.
This particular piece of land is known as the Capel Battery Site and is adjacent to the Battle of Britain Memorial Site, which is also Access Land.
Land becomes Access Land by a process conducted by Natural England. They published provisional maps identifying areas of mountain, moorland and downland that appeared to meet the requirements of the Act and after a period of consultation produced conclusive maps which for the time being cannot be altered. The map including the land in question was published on 4 May 2004.
The Act provides that where the Access Authority, in this case Kent County Council, has made two attempts in the previous three years to require the landowner to create or accept access points to Access Land and the landowner has not complied, the Access Authority can seek an order from the Magistrates’ Court requiring the installation of access points. That was the purpose of the January hearing.
The landowner objected to public access on the grounds of safety and antisocial behaviour. In particular he drew attention to the network of underground military workings on the site including gun emplacements and a World War 2 military hospital. He proposed to excavate these and open them to the public in conjunction with proposed developments at the adjacent Battle of Britain Memorial but wished to close the site for two years while the excavations took place. He also wished to install a helipad close to one of the proposed access points for use in conjunction with an enterprise offering flights alongside spitfires. An application to Natural England to except the whole site from the Access Land provisions had failed and he was now negotiating to close off selected parts of the site on which excavations would be taking place.
The Magistrates took the view that while all of this was very interesting, it was not really relevant. They granted the order sought by Kent County Council, effective in sixty days to allow the landowner time to complete his negotiations with Natural England.
This is a great victory for the walking public. It means that the site will now be reopened, subject to any restrictions agreed with Natural England, which must be temporary and normally for no more than six months – anything longer must be referred to the Local Access Forum. We should all be grateful to White Cliffs Group for their vigilance and to Kent County Council for carrying out their obligations so efficiently.
Footpath Success
On 22 October 2011 Mike Collins and Frank and Mim Ewen attended a celebration party hosted by some local residents in the Eastcourt Lane area of Gillingham who had been involved in a long drawn out saga to keep an alleyway open and incorporated in the excluded areas update to the Definitive Map.
It runs from Eastcourt Lane through to Lamberhurst Green and provides a short route for residents to access the local shops and for schoolchildren to use to attend school. It is now designated and signposted as GBX 60.
A small party with tasty snacks was provided by the local residents to show appreciation to the voluntary groups involved, namely Pat Wilson of the Open Spaces Society, the Ramblers Footpath Officers and the local residents who fought long and hard to achieve this goal.
Ken Wright, a long serving Kent Area Committee member (retired), who had been involved with this case over the years, kindly wrote in an e-mail to us all, the following:
"I hear from Pat Wilson that you'll be joining in the celebration on 22 October of the landmark advance just made in Medway of getting (mainly?) urban paths put on the definitive map. It's ironic that getting a highway authority to perform its statutory duty should be a cause for celebration but that's the world we inhabit and, after so much hard work, celebration is more than justified. If you get a chance, I'd be grateful if you would convey my congratulations to those concerned, as well as accepting them yourself for what must have been a substantial part, under Pat's guidance, in the long struggle. Well done to all concerned and long may you all be able to continue such invaluable work for everybody who sets foot in Medway. I do appreciate hearing good news like this though Joyce and I are now living some way from your paths; those who regularly use them must be doubly grateful for the persistent efforts that have been made by workers over the years."
Coastal Access
Kent Ramblers have now finalised their proposed route for the
Folkestone to Ramsgate section of the national coastal path. [read
more...]
Michael Stokes
A former Chairman of Kent Area and a champion of the Royal
Military Canal path, Michael Stokes died in March. We have
a tribute to him here.
Bayham Abbey
The decision of last December's public inquiry reached us
today. Unfortunately none of the paths subject to the inquiry
was confirmed by the inspector and so, subject to any appeal, the Bayham Abbey estate
remains probably the largest expanse of countryside in the south
east not crossed by a public footpath. Despite the outcome, we
owe a huge debt of gratitude to the brave Ramblers' volunteers who
worked so hard to secure these paths for public benefit and the even
braver witnesses who were subject to gruelling
cross-examination at the inquiry. Our volunteers will not be
daunted by this setback and will continue to work selflessly to
protect Kent's footpaths for the benefit of all walkers.
Please continue to support our work, not least by joining the
Ramblers if you are not already a member. (4 April 2011)
New Wealdway Information Board at Tonbridge Castle
Our volunteers have replaced the worn out Wealdway information
board at Tonbridge castle. [read
more...]
Wealdway Accommodation Guide
An updated Wealdway Accommodation Guide, accessible from the Wealdway
main page, is now available. Thanks to Charles Wilmot
Smith for producing this.
Area Organisation
We have added a new web page
explaining how the Area is organised and listing principal contacts.
2011 AGM
The AGM details have now been placed on the web site. [read
more...]
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