Click to view latest messages in all forums
| | | | This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings. |
 Topic - Access shock at Vixen Tor undermines CRoW Act
|
|---|
 by - GuyK on - 24 Feb 2005 - 213.2.193.162 whois? |
Access shock at Vixen Tor undermines CRoW Act
24 February, 2005
A serious flaw in the Countryside and Right of Way Act has been exposed today with a Planning Inspectorate decision on access to Vixen Tor on Dartmoor. An appeal by the landowner against the mapping of her land as ‘open access’ has been upheld, despite her illegal improvement of the land to escape falling under CRoW’s definition of moorland.
When the CRoW Act is applied to the Southwest, Vixen Tor will not be included on maps as open to the public, and the owner will be within her legal right to exclude people from one of the region’s best crags.
Climbers and walkers enjoyed unlimited access to Vixen Tor for more than 30 years with the agreement of the previous owner. But this arrangement ground to a halt in 2003 when a new landowner, Ms Mary Alford of Moortown Farm, Tavistock, installed a barbed-wire fence around the crag. She removed existing stiles and spray-painted ‘Private Property – Keep Out!’ at a traditional access point.
Most controversially, she also improved the land by spreading seaweed and manure over it, changing a significant proportion of the field from open moorland habitat to semi-improved pasture. Ms Alford was successfully prosecuted by DEFRA for this action, and widely condemned by local access and conservation campaigners.
But the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to ignore Vixen Tor’s illegal improvement in hearing Ms Alford’s appeal now opens the door to similar action across Britain from other landowners to use similar tactics – flouting the law to get their land removed from open-access designation.
The BMC’s Regional Access and Conservation Officer Guy Keating said: ‘This decision represents a considerable blow to the intended spirit of the CRoW Act. Today has been a disaster for anyone who enjoys recreation in the nation’s wild spaces’
The BMC will continue to pursue the issue of access to Vixen Tor, and together with the Ramblers’ Association, will campaign for the Dartmoor National Park Authority to impose a statutory access order on the site. Given the NPA’s previous statements, this seems a strong possibility. In the meantime, it remains up to individuals to make their own decision about climbing on Vixen Tor.
For further information or comment, please contact BMC Access & Conservation Officers Graham Lynch (Tel. 0161 438 3333) or Guy Keating (Tel. 0161 4383309).
The BMC.
|
|
|
... not showing 83 replies to this topic ...
Register now or login to gain full access to the forums. Registration is quick and completely free.
If you are definitely logged on, press Ctrl+F5 keys to reload this page [read more]
Unregistered users can only read messages in the most recent topics. |
 |
| | | | This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings. |
[top of page] - [forums latest]
|
