Dr Sue Farrant Meets the Poundbury Rural Access Campaigners
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
Local campaigners highlight their access issue to Dr Sue Farrant
Dr Sue Farrant, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for West Dorset, visited Poundbury and Maiden Castle at the invitation of the Poundbury Rural Access Campaign headed by Peter Evans. Mr Evans explained that the Duchy of Cornwall’s plans for the further development of Poundbury did not include the rural access to Maiden Castle under the Dorchester bypass envisaged in the 2006 Poundbury Development Brief. Instead the Duchy were proposing a convoluted route alongside the bypass to an existing footpath to the north west of Maiden Castle or funnelling residents along the inside of the bypass to Maiden Castle Road.
Dave Green, South Dorset Ramblers Countryside Secretary, pointed out that Maiden Castle Road is single track with narrow unmaintained verges and cannot safely cope with the present mix of cars and coaches with recreational users, let alone the extra burden that will be imposed by 5000 new Poundbury residents.
He told Dr Farrant that the Ramblers’ objectives are to see that the Poundbury Development Brief is fully implemented in its detail as well as its spirit and that all paths included in the outline planning consent should be dedicated as public (not permissive) rights of way.
A timescale for the dedication of the paths should be included which will ensure rural access from West Dorchester and the Poundbury Development in the very near future and the paths should take account of the needs of cyclists, walkers and the disabled in compliance with the local development plan.
Dr Farrant was shown the farmtracks which could be dedicated as public rights of way to Maiden Castle and which up to about 20 years ago were accessible by the public. She agreed that there did not appear to be any good reason why these tracks should not once again be available for public access from Poundbury, thereby relieving pedestrian pressure on Maiden Castle Road and bypassing the existing dangerous footpath crossing of the A35.
Dr Farrant commented that, “Walking is a great form of exercise and most of us need to do more of it! South Dorset Ramblers are suggesting a way to make it easy and pleasant for people to walk between Poundbury and Maiden Castle without threatening livestock or crops. It seems to me that what they are suggesting is a very good solution, balancing the interests of Poundbury residents and the Duchy. I hope that the District Council will listen to them and will make sure that their own development brief is followed.”
