SUBMISSION BY READ PARISH COUNCIL TO COUNTY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES AND REGULATORY COMMITTEE

In June 2011 a request for a public path/cycleway creation for the 800 metres of disused railway between footpath 11 (Dunkirk Farm Lane) and the viaduct was refused by Lancashire County Council Environment Directorate. The reasons for refusal were the assertions of the owner of Bridge Hey Wood Caravan Park that it would adversely affect his business interests and damage the local economy, and the ongoing maintenance costs of the Martholme viaduct. This stretch of disused railway had been used for almost 40 years by local walkers and cyclists as a link across the River Calder and during this time Bridge Hey Wood caravan site evolved from a small group of riverside weekend cabins to the 100 plus unit caravan site which it has now become. Access was blocked in 2001 due to the Foot and Mouth outbreak. Despite an offer to provide a security fence and gate when funds were available under the REMADE Project the landowner consistently refused requests to allow access, even on a trial basis. On the side of the viaduct the disused railway is part of the Lancashire Cycleway which passes through and Rishton and thence on to Blackburn passing close to industrial parks and other areas of employment. The 800 metre link to Read would facilitate easier cycle access from Hyndburn and Blackburn to industrial parks in Simonstone, Altham, Padiham and Burnley via the Padiham Greenway for which an extension has recently been announced. The link would connect the footpaths in Hyndburn to the Calder Valley network creating an unbroken path from Whalley and Great Harwood along the Calder Valley to Padiham and beyond. *see map At present pedestrians wishing to walk from Great Harwood to Read have either to cross the busy A680 twice, or negotiate a footway less than .5 metres wide across CockBridge. Disabled carriages or prams have to be manoeuvred onto the carriageway. *see photograph Earlier this year planning permission was granted to Bridge Hey Wood Caravan Park for the installation of 15 additional holiday units effectively upgrading the site from a caravan site to a holiday park. Bridge Hey Wood’s planning statement made the case that the holiday units would take advantage of an increased demand for domestic holidays and meet sustainable development objectives for increased access to the countryside and accommodation within walking distance of local shops and services. The statement highlighted the high demand for holiday let and owned caravans with up to 5 bookings a week being turned away in the main season and made reference to the need to encourage sustainable transport. The landowner’s objections to the cycleway were based on his concerns that his site was marketed as quiet and secluded and that it would cause disturbance to his tenants causing them to leave. There does not appear to be any evidence to support this assertion and the impending addition of holiday let caravans and the highlighting of existing high demand for privately owned and holiday let caravans in the planning statement appears to belie the landowner’s assertions that his business and the local economy would suffer if access to the viaduct was reinstated. Read Parish Council is unaware of any evidence that shows that existing tenants on the site would not welcome the opportunity to be afforded access to and across the viaduct. The viaduct (a Grade 2 listed structure) is owned by the Railways Paths whose director of estates, Mr Howard Jones has indicated that they are sympathetic to allowing public access to the viaduct from the Hyndburn side. Their bridge engineer has advised that costs which would be incurred to allow this, total £2,200 and include a new fence on the Read side. They would however require public liability indemnity for future use and would expect a public body to take on this responsibility and future maintenance costs. At the time of writing this matter is being explored with Hyndburn Borough Council but if the cycleway can be created, future costs and public liability issues could possibly be shared with the highways authority or borne on the same basis as those which apply to the bridges which form part of the Padiham Greenway. Read Parish Council were supportive of the planning application for the site expansion but asked Ribble Valley Borough Council planning officers to make it conditional upon agreement being reached to allow public access along the track to the viaduct. Unfortunately Ribble Valley Borough Council were unable to apply this condition. The organisations and representative bodies listed below firmly believe that the reasons for refusal of a path creation in June 2011 are now obsolete when measured against the owners stated assertions regarding the expansion and popularity of the site. Reinstatement of this amenity and its inclusion into the national cycleway would be of immense value to the public at large and the tenants and holidaymakers on the caravan site and would address many of the aims highlighted in the NPPF:- 3.28 (p9) Support a prosperous rural economy. Benefit businesses, communities and visitors and provide expansion of facilities in appropriate locations. 4.29 (p9) Facilitate sustainable transport Par 9 (p3) Sustainable development: - Improve conditions in which people live, work, travel and take leisure.

Can we therefore ask our elected representatives, in line with their responsibility to act in the interest of the whole community, to urge the relevant officers of Lancashire County Council to make a new approach to the landowner to urge him to see the benefits that would accrue to both his customers and the wider community and take any necessary action to ensure that this valuable amenity is reinstated. Read Parish Council Simonstone Parish Council Councillor B Clarke, Padiham Town Council Mark Dickson, Chairman of Padiham Greenway Committee District Councillor Ciaran Wells, Great Harwood Area Council (Hyndburn Borough Council District Councillors John Hill & Richard Bennett (Ribble Valley Borough Council) Peter Holden, Great Harwood Community Action Group Barbara Sharples Great Harwood Prospects Panel Alwyn Brennan & C Parkinson, Great Harwood Mothers’ Club John Duckworth (ex Great Harwood Regeneration Board) Nigel Brooke, Hyndburn Ramblers Janet Lofthouse, Bufrnley & Pendle Ramblers

To:- County Councillor Cynthia Derili, Parish Champion County Councillor J Oakes, Regulatory Committee County Councillor A Atkinson, Read, Simonstone and Sabden County Councillor Tony Martin, Padiham County Councillor Gareth Moleneaux, Great Harwood