Hampshire County Council

Regulatory Committee Item 9

4 January 2006

Licensed path agreement, Micheldever

Report of the Director of Recreation and Heritage

Contact: Sally Plummer: ext 6040, [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 Hampshire County Council has received an offer for the grant of a permissive bridleway by Zurich Assurance Ltd in Micheldever for a period of ten years for the payment of a compensation fee of £100 a year.

1.2 The permissive bridleway will allow pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders to cross the A303, a dual carriageway, by way of a minor road underpass.

1.3 The Committee is recommended to accept the offer with thanks.

2. Background

2.1 As part of the Highways Agency Non Motorised Users (NMU) Road Crossings project, this crossing was highlighted as dangerous and in need of remedy. At present the crossing is at grade, over four lanes of fast moving traffic and through a gap in the central reservation. (Please see attached plan.)

2.2 Following a meeting with various bodies, including the British Horse Society, Road Safety officers and Mott Macdonald, the landowner was approached and asked if a route might be secured on their land to improve the crossing.

2.3 The landowner has kindly agreed to a permissive route subject to a compensation fee of £100 a year. This payment is required to offset the loss of land to the tenant and equates to £1000 over ten years. The Parish Council has agreed to donate a one off sum of £150 towards the scheme, and the British Horse Society a sum of £300.

2.4 Mott Macdonald has agreed to fund and execute the works required to bring the permissive route out onto Overton Road under the NMU project.

3. Description of the new path

The proposed permissive bridleway will run from RUPP 25b, point B on attached plan, westwards along the northern edge of a field for approximately 580 metres to point A on the attached plan. The route will be three metres wide, will have a bridlegate at each end and remain unsurfaced.

The permissive route will continue on the north side of the A303 at point C on the attached plan, through trees for approximately 300 metres to Bridleway 25a, point D on the attached plan.

3. Summary of Consultations

3.1 Local Member Councillor Porter

Fully supports the proposal.

3.2 Winchester City Council

No comments.

3.3 Micheldever Parish Council

Supports the proposal and agrees to donate £150 towards the scheme.

3.4 The County Council Highways Advisor

Awaiting comments.

3.6 The County Council Chief Planning Advisor

Awaiting comments.

3.7 British Horse Society

Supports the proposal and agrees to donate £300 towards the scheme.

3.8 The Ramblers Association

Welcomes the proposed addition to the network. Regrets that this is not a formal dedication of a right of way and requests that the Ordnance Survey are notified of the presence of the permissive route.

3.9 Open Spaces Society

Supports the proposal but is of the opinion that the County Council should be making a creation order for the route.

3.10 British Driving Society

Notes that no provision is to be made for carriage driving and asks that

permission is extended to include it.

3.11 National Farmers Union

No comment.

3.12 Cyclists Touring Club

No comment.

3.13 Trail Riders Fellowship

Fully support the welcome addition.

3.14 LARA

Fully supports the proposal.

3.16 All Wheel Drive Club

No response

4. Comments on consultation responses

4.1 Ramblers Association

The landowner is unwilling to dedicate a definitive right of way at this time, and has asked that the route be permissive in the first instance. Following the agreement period, the use of the route, and any problems that the landowner has experienced can be assessed along with the possibility of dedicating the route.

Once complete, details of the permissive route will be sent to the Ordnance Survey.

4.2 British Driving Society

The landowner was unwilling to grant permissive rights for horse drawn vehicles. Also, at Overton Road, works are required to bring the path down to the level of the highway and it would require major excavation works to make this access suitable for such vehicles.

4.3 Open Spaces Society

It is felt that the permissive route is an appropriate way to ascertain the future use of this path and its need. If in the future it is felt that the public interest is significant enough, then it may be that the County Council would choose to make such an order.

5. Financial Implications

The compensation to be paid amounts to £1000 for ten years use or £100 a year, to offset loss of land to the tenant farmer. With the kind donations offered by the British Horse Society and the Parish Council, the County Council will be required to pay £550 for the ten years of use. It is considered that this amount is a reasonable amount to pay in order to secure a valuable addition to the network and a safer road crossing.

The County Council will maintain the route as part of the public rights of way network in the area. As the route will run along a field edge, the maintenance burden is not likely to be large.

6. Conclusion

The permissive bridleway will provide a very valuable link in the local rights of way network. It will allow vulnerable users to cross the A303 safely without having to negotiate 4 lanes of traffic and effectively open up a wider selection of off road routes for enjoyment exercise and recreation.

7. Recommendation

The Committee is recommended to accept the offer with thanks.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of the report:

File: Permissive Bridleway

A303 Crossing, Micheldever