LOCAL AC CESS FORUM ANNUAL REPORT 2014 - 2 0 1 5

Chairman’s Report

The Heritage Lottery Funded Partner- The TVLAF is supporting steps to ex- ship programme, Re- tend the Coast Path route discovered centering on the River Tees, from North Gare at across Appointing Authority was officially launched on the 17th the Tees Estuary to link with the Cleve- Membership March 2015 at College. land Way. The Secretary of State has ‘Welcome Aboard’ was attended by opened the consultation on this stretch COUNCILLOR MICHAEL SMITH representatives from local business and during March 2015 linking North Gare industry, and senior leaders from the in Hartlepool, across the Newport STOCKTON ON TEES BOROUGH COUNCIL public and third sectors. The TVLAF Bridge to Middlesbrough and on to has played a key role in the develop- Brigg in North .

ment of this project, pulling together COUNCILLOR DOT LONG the relevant Officers and Volunteers BOROUGH COUNCIL critical to the project’s success.

Doug Nicholson, Chair of River Tees Rediscovered, said: “The River Tees is COUNCILLOR ALAN CLARK

the greatest natural asset in the area HARTLEPOOL BOROUGH and this will be the first time it has COUNCIL been developed as a whole. We view this project as a real opportunity to change perceptions about our river and COUNCILLOR CHARLES our area, to look through fresh eyes at ROONEY

the beauty and drama of the landscape MIDDLESBROUGH COUNCIL today and to celebrate this great asset Newport Bridge by courtesy of Malc McDonald at the heart of .’’ In 2009 the Limestone Landscapes Regional working has continued, with partnership began the current pro- joint work pledged between our gramme of works. Audits were carried neighbouring LAF at Durham with the out into History, Geology and Wildlife most recent Lottery funded initiative, Inside the Annual to find out what made this area special. the Bright Water partnership focussing Report Each of these reports had an action on the . The project covers BUSINESS OF THE FORUM 2

plan of potential projects. The top 24 200km2 from Hurworth Burn in Dur- projects are underway reaching large ham to South Park in Darlington and PARTNERSHIPS 2 members of the general public with includes , many events and activities taking GroundworkNE, Durham Wildlife STOCKTON ON TEES 3 place. Trust and the Tees River Trust. UPDATE With a successful bid to Paths for Com- My thanks go to the Rights of Way Of- DARLINGTON, HARTLE- 4 munities and joint work with Elwick ficers across the Tees Valley and for the POOL AND MIDDLES- BROUGH UPDATES Parish Council, a circular path through valuable contribution of all the TVLAF the creation of two new public foot- members have made to the success of REGIONAL WORKING 5 paths will be developed around Elwick these initiatives.

village linking footpaths and routes to Robin Daniels MEMBERSHIP 6 neighbouring villages and into Hartle- pool. Chair, Tees Valley Local Access Forum

Tees Valley Local Access Forum Annual Report 2014-15

Business of the Forum

The AGM on the 15th May complement of Rights of and Access Officer at 2014 at Preston Park in Way Officers. River Tees Re-Discovered Stockton on Tees dis- An Induction for the new at the AGM outlined a cussed the ramifications members was held at Pre- number of projects al- of the absence of a Devel- ston Park on 13th February ready underway. All aim opment Officer and the 2015 where roles were to increase local interest in need to add depth to the outlined and present work the project area and build current membership pro- discussed. in improvements. So far a file. On a positive note, number of volunteers and th the Chair Robin Daniels On the 24 March 2015 apprentices have been The Howls in and Vice Chair Rob the AGM in Middles- recruited who are work- Brown were both unani- brough saw the introduc- ing together with local mously re-elected. tion of the Work Pro- employers including gramme; a result of time At the meeting on the 9th Cummins Engines and spent by the DO canvass- December 2014 in the Tata Steel on a number of ing elected and estab- Place in the Park in Har- activities which include lished members to con- tlepool, three new mem- work at Snipe Pond, the firm how the Forum bers were welcomed on North Tees Trail and IF YOU HAVE should move forward. board, Yvonne Ramage, Green Shoots Walk. EXPERIENCE AND Mike Cherrett and Dave A presentation by Chris- EXPERTISE TO Reed together with a full tine Corbett, Community SHARE IN ENCOURAGING HEALTHY USE OF Partnerships— Local Nature Partnership RIGHTS OF WAY Rob Brown is part of the Green Places Project in the birds of Teesmouth IN THE TEES Management Team on the October 2014. The five since 1960 and is widely VALLEY THEN Teesside Local Nature year project aims to in- recognized as the fore- PLEASE GET IN Partnership and during crease the skills of local most authority on the TOUCH 2014 a number of initia- people to record and care birds of the Tees estuary. tives were launched by for wildlife in the areas

partners across the group. open spaces working with twenty local community These include the Your wildlife groups across the Tees Catchment Partner- Tees Valley. ship which is supported by a range of organisa- Vic Fairbrother of the tions intending to shape Conservation Sub- the Catchment Based Ap- Committee of Teesmouth proach to river manage- Bird Club (TBC), with in- ment in the Tees. put by TVWT and RSPB, produced a list detailing The Tees Valley Wildlife Hebridean sheep at Teesmouth Species of Conservation Trust received a grant of Concern and Local Signifi- £425,800 from the Heri- cance in the Tees Valley. tage Lottery Fund (HLF) TBC has been monitoring for the Tees Valley Wild

Page 2 Tees Valley Local Access Forum Annual Report 2014-15

Partnerships - River Tees Re-discovered The River Tees Re- the total funding package Park within the North Discovered Landscape including partner contri- Tees Natural Network, Partnership covers an area butions standing at £3.7m as a gateway of 140km2 within the Tees for the 5 year Landscape to Tees Heritage Park and Valley, focusing on the Partnership. upstream to , river corridor from the linked together through The project aims to high- coast at Teesmouth to the Way. light the importance of the Piercebridge just outside waterway as a national Darlington. A stage two feature which has had a application for Heritage key role in moulding the Lottery Fund (HLF) sup- physical and cultural de- port was successful in velopment of the area. It June 2014, unlocking will include Saltholme £1.9m HLF funding with Wildlife and Discovery

Partnerships - England Coastal Path IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PLAY A Efforts to open up more of report to the Secretary of started on proposals for the region’s coastline to State setting out the pro- improved public access PART IN walkers are now well un- posals for improved ac- along a stretch of the SHAPING derway after the England cess to the coast between north east coast taking in ACCESS IN THE Coast Path between South Newport Bridge in Mid- the estuary between TEES VALLEY Bents in and dlesbrough and Filey North Gare in Hartlepool the North Gare in Seaton Brigg in . and Newport Bridge in PLEASE GET IN Carew in Hartlepool was The route is expected to Middlesbrough. Natural TOUCH AND officially opened at Sea- follow existing promoted England expect the new JOIN IN ham, on the 15th April paths including the Cleve- access to be ready during 2014. land Way National Trail 2016. and the . On 26 March 2015, Natu- ral England submitted a In addition, work has

Stockton on Tees Borough Council Update

Rob Morrow regularly isting stiles have already Rob Morrow keeps the meetings up to been replaced by kissing Rights of Way Officer date with progress at gates and a new board- Stockton Tees Borough walk constructed at Ais- Council. At the final laby. He reported that meeting of the year he disabled members of the described work already Angling Club can underway on the Tees- now access the river be- dale Way, as part of the tween Aislaby Road and Yarm Road Bridge RTR project, where 6 ex- Nelly Burdon Beck.

Page 3 Tees Valley Local Access Forum Annual Report 2014-15

Darlington Borough Council Update

As Malcolm Thompson fencing to improve access at . Pre- reported, Darlington Bor- is to start in the new fi- paratory hedge works ough Council now have nancial year. The Tees- have been done and the signed permissive agree- dale Way will then be way excavation work for the ment with the landowners marked around the river- cable is to commence at and lessees at Middles- side footpath as well as the end of March. The brough Football Club the current route. route will be closed whilst the work is ongoing and training ground at Rock- Other paperwork during the route will be resur- liffe. The agreement is for the year included North- faced on completion of the 10 years and it links the ern Powergrid using West Park Nature cul-de-sac Footpath 21 work. Reserve, Darlington Patches Lane as the major Hurworth around the part of their route for the river between Low Rock- cable supplying electricity Malcolm Thompson Countryside liffe and the Tees Viaduct. to the new Hitachi factory Access Officer Work to install steps and

IF YOU WOULD Hartlepool Borough Council Update LIKE TO BECOME has been improved and Hartlepool is no excep- A MEMBER OF Chris Scaife received ap- now provides a multi-user tion; one of the well used plications for a number of THE TVLAF, surface in the Golden Hart bridleway access path improvements, in Flatts area. A permissive points has now been al- PLEASE GET IN addition to the P4C work, path at Hart Reservoir has tered by re-aligning the TOUCH USING around Elwick vil- been improved and sur- existing vehicle barrier in lage. The applications THE CONTACT face reinstated, linking a an attempt to discourage will enhance the public long distance path from illegal activities at the DETAILS ON THE right of way network to Hart Lane to Easington site. BACK PAGE the east of the village. A Road. All the Officers strategic footpath to the report the hazards associ- south west of Seaton ated with fly tipping and Carew Railway Station

Middlesbrough Council Update

Stewart Williams at Mid- Orders and assessed installed. A number of dlesbrough Council, re- many Barrier Requests. Volunteer roles have been ported that he also deals set up and include PROW Other developments at with highway closures as Ranger. Middlesbrough included well as other Legal Or- further work at Blue Bell ders. Over the year he has Beck where 2000 metres of completed 9 Stopping Up path have been re- Christine Corbett of River Tees Orders, 2 DMMO’s, 2 Rediscovered leading a walk discovered and re- creation orders, 3 s31(6) in Boro Becks surfaced and three pedes- Declarations, 10 Gating Stewart Williams Countryside trian counters have been Access Officer

Page 4 Tees Valley Local Access Forum Annual Report 2014-15

Regional Working The Department for Robin Daniels and Geoff At the regional meeting Transport, Cycling and Hughes (Chair of Durham on November 20th 2014 Walking Consultation in LAF) were re-elected Rob Aubrook Area Man- October 2014 was dis- Chair and Vice Chair re- ager for Natural England cussed across the north spectively of the north attended and a free flow- east and all Forums sug- east Region Local Access ing discussion included a gested methods of ap- Forum in the AGM held request to the Lotteries to proaching the issues on the 9th June 2014. consider funding access in raised directly with the it’s own right and closed Lisa Shearer, Project DfT. with an agreement to pro- Manager from the Land of duce a Scoping Report for The Regional Co- Oak and Iron and Paul a north east Regional Ac- ordinator was invited to Scott Programme Coordi- cess Strategy led by the the Celebration Event of nator of Gateshead Coun- Blaydon Burn Regional Local Access Waggonway Limestone Landscapes cil kindly made a presen- Forum. held at the close of No- tation to the Chairs and vember 2014 at Vice Chairs at the June Hall. The personalities AGM as to the status of who had played key roles the project so far. LOCAL ACCESS in projects in their area The first round has been presented their work and FORUMS ARE passed, with July 2015 the those of the other volun- RECRUITING final funding deadline, teers involved; it was ex- and in 2016 the delivery of ACROSS THE tremely uplifting and their the project begins. work is detailed on their COUNTRY, web site http:// The area covers 177 sq Km PLEASE GET IN www.limestonelandscape (104,000 people) and in- TOUCH IF YOU s.info/Pages/ cludes three Local Au- WOULD LIKE TO HomePage.aspx. thority areas, Durham, Gateshead and Northum- FIND OUT MORE A number of regional berland. Using the river tasks were undertaken catchment areas this in- during year and included cludes the Derwent Reser- dialogue with the regional voir to the Tyne. Tracing Chairs of the North East, the history of the area will North West and Yorkshire include ancient wood- and Humberside Local lands, Roman history, Access Forum to share lead mining and waggon- good practice. ways. In total, there are 16 The north east LAF also projects under 11 themes contacted Defra on a num- which all include river, ber of occasions, including woodland, wetland and querying the political defi- interpretation; and key to cit of joint Forums and the project are access to support for national Re- footpaths and bridleways. gional Co-ordination. Sunflowers at Naisberry

Page 5 Organ ization

TEES VALLEY LOCAL AC C E S S F O R U M

Hartlepool Borough Council Countryside & Heritage Team Edgar Philips Building Church Street Hartlepool TS24 7DS Phone: (01429) 523419 Email: [email protected]

Membership The TVLAF website will provide up-to-date information on future meetings and events. Rob Brown ties for people to become ordinator for Sustrans in involved in the heritage of Stockton on Tees. www.teesvalleylocalaccessforum.co.uk Rob farms on the out- the area. skirts of Hartlepool and David Reed joined to help put both Deborah Jefferson David is a long term the broader farming Deborah heads the Hartle- member of the Ramblers perspective as regards pool Borough Council and particularly enjoys his ROW, and the experi- Countryside Warden work as a Walk Leader ence of farming on the team, responsible for the taking members to areas urban fringe. management of 5 nature of local interest and Mike Cherrett reserves in Hartlepool. beauty. Mike is a member of Fiona Campbell Michael Roff Ramblers Fiona joined the TVLAF to A retired Chartered Engi- and a Footpath Volun- assist in the development neer, Michael is a keen teer representing Stock- & improvement of access walker and cyclist. His ton on Tees. Mike has for people of all abilities, particular interest is to try served Stockton on Tees as a voice for the disabled to eliminate ‘missing Borough Council as community. links’. Councillor. Yvonne Ramage Judith Underwood Robin Daniels Yvonne balances her free Judith has worked in the As Head of Tees Ar- time as a Voluntary environment sector for chaeology, Robin has Ranger and Conservation over 10 years, working on developed a service Volunteer for North physical environmental which promotes and Moors National Park with improvement projects encourages opportuni- being the Area Co- with Groundwork.