Spring / Summer PROTECTING RURAL Magazine 2020 CORNWALL Caring about the future... Campaigning Update - pages 6 and 7 Sustainable Villages - page 5 Tree Preservation Orders - page 8 1 From the Chairman... To begin with, The growing awareness in the last planning applications, we have had Cornwall CPRE two years or so, of the value of our some success recently. We have has a new logo. countryside and environment has helped with the refusal of a number Using a design been encouraging. The difficulty of environmentally damaging produced by our we have had is the political building applications in several national office uncertainty nationally. This has different parts of Cornwall, mainly we carried out both distracted and prevented in Areas of Outstanding Natural a sample survey proper decision making, about Beauty. Please see Campaigns, of our members badly needed measures to protect inside. to help us get it right locally, our Cornish landscapes, coasts and asking for opinions about if or how communities. All these things such as our we should use this. We are keen to campaigning, tree planting and clearly identify that our mission We now have an opportunity our on-the-ground task force have is for Cornwall. As an independent as never before. Stability in been made possible because our charity, our identity is important Parliament and the necessity of members and the public have been and we need to stand out as a change caused by Brexit, means supportive, both financially and leading force in protecting rural that the environmental element with their time. If you can help Cornwall. Your letters and views of the EU Common Agricultral in any way that would be much will as always, be welcome. Policy (CAP) which we have relied appreciated. Even your letters of on, good or bad, will be challenged encouragement and feed-back My apologies for the late delivery and revised. Oddly enough the about local issues are helpful. of this magazine. In December biggest threat might in fact be new To conclude, I wish you a wonderful we felt that a general election investment, where there seems to 2020 in Cornwall. and the run up to Christmas was be a universal belief that our lives quite enough excitement and will be better if large amounts of in January, the subsequent and money are thrown at an area, to traditional withdrawal symptoms build ever more houses and dual experienced by many, inspired us carriageways. When it comes Richard Stubbs to start thinking about Spring. to challenging inappropriate Chairman, Cornwall CPRE Headland Printers Ltd., Penzance Cornwall CPRE is an independent charity and Contents works in liason with the Campaign to Protect Rural England. Helland Bridge 3 To contact us, please phone 01872 480127 or email Events 3 [email protected] www.cprecornwall.org Bridleways 4 Registered charity number 218344 Launceston Ploughing Match 4 Sustainable Villages 5 Magazine Distributors Required Campaigning 6-7 We print 5,000 copies of each edition of Protecting Rural Cornwall. We rely on a network of 28 Tree Preservation Orders 8 distributors, each of whom has an area in Cornwall to place a supply of these magazines in outlets Farming 9 such as Post Offices, farm shops, cafes, pubs, garden centres etc, where the public can pick Networking 9 them up. We have a number of vacant areas. Reader’s Letters 10 Could you help us cover an area? Please phone 01872 480127 or email [email protected] Support Us 11-12 2 Helland Bridge This ancient stone bridge, situated between Camelford and Bodmin, was built about 1470 in its present form. It was first used to get people, animals and the odd horse and cart, across the River Camel. This appears to have worked very well until - you’ve guessed it, the arrival of the motor vehicle. Having a double bend in it and being extremely narrow, it is a test of skill for even the most competent motorist. Many of them fail and the poor old bridge is starting to get badly knocked about. Things get worse of course when oversize vehicles approach call the rescue services. The latest count is 136 it and then find there is accidents in the last two years. nowhere to turn round. Local residents are Cornwall CPRE was asked for their ideas to make constantly called on the access lane quieter and reduce the accidents to extricate damaged at this rare and picturesque part of rural or jammed vehicles, Cornwall. We have sent our surveyor to the site administer cups of tea and and produced a report with recommendations about how this might be done. Particular emphasis has been placed on measures which restrict and inform approaching vehicles that are in harmony with this historic and unspoilt piece of Cornish countryside. See this article and the full Cornwall CPRE report on our website, www.cprecornwall.org. Events Cornwall CPRE have a series of We are planning another joint walk Liskeard Show 11 July 2020 events lined up for members and with Cornish Ramblers in May / Merrymeet, near Liskeard, South their guests in 2020. If you are not June. This will involve an ascent to East Cornwall. PL14 3LE a member why not come along and the top of Brown Willy on Bodmin join? An up to date list and more Moor, the highest point in Cornwall. Stithians Show 13 July 2020 detail can be found on our web site The Showground, Stithians, Cornwall. www.cprecornwall.org - please let us Public Events at which we have TR3 7DP know if you would like to attend. exhibition stand this year. We look A Dark Skies talk by Dr Adrian forward to meeting you there… Camborne Show 18 July 2020 Spalding 2.00 pm on Saturday 07 Royal Cornwall Show 4, 5, 6 June 2020 The Camborne Show Field March 2020 Fraddon Village Hall, Whitecross, Wadebridge. PL27 7JE On the road between Coombe and Fraddon. TR9 6NT Hell’s Mouth.TR27 5EF 3 Bridleway Clearance Having access to our countryside The new Cornwall CPRE Task Force is a force for the good in the Cornish countryside. Equipped with a chunky 4 x 4 Toyota, they are ready to work on any projects that will make rural Cornwall a better place. This could mean transporting a work party to do a beach or litter clear up, helping with our tree planting programme or being part of our attending the Royal Cornwall Show along with the country and town shows held throughout the Duchy. Having easy access to our beautiful countryside so that as many as possible can enjoy it, is also important and here the task force has been busy clearing an overgrown bridleway near Mousehole. They were complete with our appropriately named mascot Mouse, who is in fact a dog. There is a national network of footpaths and bridleways and in Cornwall, we have our fair share. There are quite a number of supportive organisations too. There is also a very significant countrywide project (Project 2026) which has the capability of submitting applications for new rights of way. A good contact for this is the British Horse Society (http://www. bhsaccess.org.uk/dobbin/Project2026). The Cornwall Ramblers also organise many walks to help us get out into the fresh air and enjoy our countryside; https://ramblers. org.uk/go-walking/group-finder/areas/cornwall.aspx. Mouse Launceston Ploughing Match A bright and beautiful Seasoned competitors Sunday morning in early (many with their classic winter at Wiggaton Farm, tractors) and their Carnworthy Water was supporters turned out in the setting for the annual good numbers and it was Launceston and Callington magnificent to see the Ploughing Match. Heavy Horse teams there Cornwall CPRE was to take on the various represented by two of our challenges of preparing trustees and our latest the ground in the most recruit to the Executive traditional way possible…. Committee, Jane Howlett and maybe the most who is also the secretary demanding. to the Ploughing Match The weather was kind, andPicture cover picture by Deb Duval Committee. and the day was a great The ground was in good success, not just for those Cornish rural life. Come and watch this wonderful event condition despite the heavy who won the silverware, this year, on Sunday 4th October in a new venue at a rain that had threatened in but for the ongoing health location to be advised. the previous days. and vibrancy of traditional Story: Mark Pasterfield 4 Sustainable Villages A great deal depends on our village communities if we shouldn’t complain – the assumption being that you lived are to maintain the quality of life of rural Cornwall. The in a tranquil idyll without any of the stress of urban living Prince’s Countryside Fund has recently published The and therefore in a permanent state of bliss. I think people Village Survival Guide with ideas and examples of how imagined healthy flushed cheeks, constant sunshine, to build a strong community. Here we publish an extract me apron-clad and constantly baking apple pies on a of the foreword by Miranda Hart who is obviously a great picturesque AGA. deal more than an accomplished actress… Striving for a sense of community. Nobody, living in INTRODUCTION by the countryside where they want to live, where they make Miranda Hart their living, where perhaps their family has perhaps had a long history in the area, where they do important work to I feel very honoured to sustain the land and the wildlife and provide food for the have been asked to write an country – should be alone. Emotional and physical well introduction to the Village being is maintained by community – by people feeling Survival Guide.