Inquiry could be held into footpath row
By Jo Deeks on Thursday, 28th March 2002.
A public inquiry could be needed later this year to resolve a dispute between villagers, a land owner and Haverhill Angling Club about a footpath at Stoke by Clare.
Suffolk County Council’s Rights of Way Sub-Committee has agreed to recommend that an order is made adding the route to the Definitive Map as a footpath.
If objections are raised to this, a public inquiry would he needed to resolve the issue.
A report to the committee said a total of 51 people had completed evidence forms relating to the claimed footpath, of which 23 showed at least 20 years’ use.
The forms gave the impression that the route was well walked by local people.
Some suggested it was used by Haverhill Angling Club and was for their private use.
Julian Watson, of Baythorne Park Estate, the landowner most affected by the route, said it was his view that there had never been a public footpath along it.
From time to time local people had asked permission to use it, but this was on the clear understanding that there was no established definitive footpath.
Phil Kingdon, president of Haverhill Angling Club, wrote to the committee that the club had fishing rights to the eastern bank of the river.
They had put up notices saying the property was private and there was no public footpath, but these had been defaced or removed.
The report to the committee said although notices said there was private fishing, this was not inconsistent with a public right of way.
The route appeared to be heavily used by local people as one of the most popular local walks.
Suffolk County Council’s Rights of Way Sub-Committee has agreed to recommend that an order is made adding the route to the Definitive Map as a footpath.
If objections are raised to this, a public inquiry would he needed to resolve the issue.
A report to the committee said a total of 51 people had completed evidence forms relating to the claimed footpath, of which 23 showed at least 20 years’ use.
The forms gave the impression that the route was well walked by local people.
Some suggested it was used by Haverhill Angling Club and was for their private use.
Julian Watson, of Baythorne Park Estate, the landowner most affected by the route, said it was his view that there had never been a public footpath along it.
From time to time local people had asked permission to use it, but this was on the clear understanding that there was no established definitive footpath.
Phil Kingdon, president of Haverhill Angling Club, wrote to the committee that the club had fishing rights to the eastern bank of the river.
They had put up notices saying the property was private and there was no public footpath, but these had been defaced or removed.
The report to the committee said although notices said there was private fishing, this was not inconsistent with a public right of way.
The route appeared to be heavily used by local people as one of the most popular local walks.
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