Joint Local Access Forum (JLAF) for Bath & North East Somerset, City and

August 2021 JLAF: Background Papers

Some items on the agenda are addressed verbally at the meeting, therefore, papers are not available for every item on the agenda.

B: MAIN BUSINESS B2: Rewilding

From Rewilding Europe’s website:

Rewilding is a progressive approach to conservation. It’s about letting nature take care of itself, enabling natural processes to shape land and sea, repair damaged ecosystems and restore degraded landscapes. Through rewilding, wildlife’s natural rhythms create wilder, more biodiverse habitats.

Nature’s own ways Nature knows best when it comes to survival and self-governance. We can give it a helping hand by creating the right conditions – by removing dykes and dams to free up rivers, by reducing active management of wildlife populations, by allowing natural forest regeneration, and by reintroducing species that have disappeared as a result of man’s actions. Then we should step back and let nature manage itself.

Bringing back wildlife European wildlife species have strongly declined, even in our wildest areas. Some of them have even gone extinct, while they play a critically important ecological role. Rewilding works to restore lost species guilds by giving them space to thrive, by population enhancement, and by reintroducing key native species.

Ensuring wellbeing When nature is healthy, we are healthier too. We rely on the natural world for water, food and air. There is a growing realisation that connecting with wild nature makes us feel good and keeps us mentally and physically well. Rewilding is about reconnecting a modern society – both rural and urban – with wilder nature. We invite people to experience and live in these new, rewilded landscapes.

1 Delivering for the future There is no defined end point for rewilding. The aim is to support nature- driven processes, which in turn will bring about wilder nature. This takes time and space. Rewilding is about moving up a scale of wildness, where every step moving up this scale is seen as progress. If we create and protect areas where rewilding can take place, both people and wildlife will benefit in the long term.

Why is rewilding vital in Europe? Our ecosystems need to recover We not only need to protect nature, we also need to restore it. Many ecosystems – the basis of our natural wealth – are broken. Rewilding offers a historical opportunity to recover them. Robust and connected ecosystems make us more resilient to impacts of climate change.

We need keystone species These vital species, including top predators and large herbivores, drive ecological processes. Wildlife is now making a comeback in Europe, but numbers are still low. Rewilding will accelerate their recovery and restore important food chains and trophic cascades.

Wilder nature as an ally Naturally functioning ecosystems are better at providing us with clean air and water, preventing flooding, storing carbon and helping us to adapt to climate change. Rewilding links ecology with modern economies, where wilder nature acts as an ally in solving modern socio-economic issues.

Communities benefit Rewilding boosts local economies where alternatives are scarce. We work towards situations where nature tourism flourishes and local people earn a fair living from nature-based enterprises. This will help revitalizing both rural and urban communities.

Wild places inspire people Experiencing the thrill of wild nature reconnects people with our living planet. This improves health and wellbeing and builds a shared sense of humanity and pride, both on the countryside and in cities.

Nature’s ways are cost-effective We believe that nature is fully capable of taking care of itself. This means letting natural processes shape our landscapes and ecosystems, instead of people actively managing that often requires high, recurrent costs. Self- regulating landscapes are more sustainable in the long run.

C: ITEMS TO REPORT/ FOR INFORMATION C1: News from the Public Rights of Way (PROW) teams

Bath & North East Somerset Council PROW Update for JLAF 05/08/2021

Definitive Map Southdown, Bath – The Council has formally determined that two DMMOs should be made to record 30 public rights of way in the ward of Southdown on the Definitive Map and Statement. A Legal Event Modification Order is also being made to record 28 other public rights of way across the city which have previously been the subject of public path orders. Widcombe, Bath – Two of three objections to parts of the Widcombe DMMO have now been withdrawn and the third objector has failed to submit a written representation. The Inspector will be carrying out an unaccompanied site visit in September 2021 and a decision is expected in the autumn. Cotswold Way – The Authority has received a number of enquiries from parties who have expressed an interest in getting the section of the Cotswold Way which runs through Weston Rec recorded on the DM&S. If you have used this path or know someone who has then you can submit a User Evidence Form detailing your use of the path in support of the application.

Public Path Orders The Planning Inspectorate have concluded the Written Representations procedure in respect of the Bath Racecourse concurrent creation and extinguishment orders. The Council expects the orders to be confirmed and this will provide the public with an enhanced network of paths which no longer cross the racetrack.

The Council has confirmed an order to divert public footpaths BA17/1&3 adjacent to the River Avon in Newton St Loe, CL9/36 at Barrow Vale in Farmborough, BA25/5 at Middle Twinhoe in Wellow.

Maintenance and Enforcement Charmydown, St Catherine/Batheaston – Long running obstructions on public footpaths BA21/9 and BA2/11 have been removed and the legal line of the footpaths have once again been made available. Norton Hawksfield, Norton Malreward – A package of works including the installation of a drainage system and Terram surfacing has been completed on public footpath CL15/1. Bay Tree Road, Lambridge – The steps on public footpath BC56/13 have been refurbished to improve pedestrian routes in the Fairfield Park neighbourhood. Capital Programme – Contracts have been awarded to contractors for the majority of schemes in the 2021/22 capital programme.

South Gloucestershire Council PROW Update for JLAF 05/08/2021

1. Budgets/Staff. Budgets remain similar for this next year. A couple of major works planned on a bridleway and a badly flooded footpath which should take up most of capital budget. Staff – I am doing Nicola’s job on secondment as we were unable to find a replacement, we have now backfilled also on secondment Karen Hayes from our Planning team, a very experienced Senior Planning Officer who is already very effective.

2. Coast path Still preparing Grant fund application for works between New Passage to Bristol Border – this is proving complicated. Tying up with ASEA remains challenging and the footpath diversion order application is yet to be received.

3. Volunteer work parties are well up and running again with great enthusiasm. The Cotswold Wardens were the first to start back and have had multiple operations going on every week. Southwold Ramblers were next and have carried out several sessions and Kingswood Ramblers are just about to start their 4th.

4. PROW Liaison Group. Hoping to hold another virtual one soon before everyone goes on holiday, unfortunately we have been too busy to hold one.

5. South West Counties Livestock & Access Group. The upcoming meeting for July has been postponed to September. However, Cornwall report a number of incidents including a boy who was badly injured and his dog was killed and Cornwall CC are under pressure from a holiday company to guarantee that paths are safe. On the flip side a farmer whose cow and unborn calf were chased to death by dogs has started a petition to make it illegal for dogs to be off lead in fields of livestock.

6. Legal Orders:- Applications for both Highways Act and TCPA orders are coming in steadily. Updates on Orders list can be found here on updated progress List attached to Regulatory Cttee agenda and PROW & CR Sub Committee agenda but the most recent don’t appear yet.

a. DMMOS – we will be looking for an outside consultant to assess the evidence and write a report on the claim at Oaklands at due to it formerly being Council owned. b. PPOs - many ongoing and some of the earlier bigger developments nearing completion. c. PROW & CR Sub Committee in June was live again and on Web Cam – just the one report into the creation of an MUR at involving the diversion of a FP.

7. Developments – still plenty of large developments ongoing – East of ; east; north; Thornbury, all have issues of temporary closures and developers jumping the gun.

8. Cotswold Way at – there has been a serious incident which has involved the Police and the Cotswold AONB are now negotiating with the Dyson Estate to have part of the path temporarily moved on a permissive basis to avoid the wood.

Bristol City Council PROW Update for JLAF 05/08/2021

PUBLIC PATH ORDERS Town & Country Planning Act

BCC/6 & Ballast Lane, Avonmouth At drafting stage Improvements to 17 the route secured from the developer

Highways Act

BCC/226 Hill Farm, Whitchurch Currently being Diverted onto advertised desire line away from obstructed route

BCC/47 Pen Park Road, Currently being Diverted onto Southmead advertised desire line, away from obstructed route in overgrowth

IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

Externally funded projects

1. Coast Path Long Distance Trail (Natural England/ Rural Development Programme for England), Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston. Phase 2 works – signage and waymarking and other final improvements before opening of the ECP: Work to commence early 2022. 2. ASEA Flood Defence, Hallen Marsh habitat mitigation scheme, Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston. PROW diversion order and other associated PROW improvements: Diversion order application in process and PROW works to commence when mitigation scheme completed.

3. S106 Blackberry Hill/ Manor Road (BCC/159). Path resurfacing: Work scheduled to commence August 2021. 4. S106 Lawrence Weston Moor (BCC/11). Phase 3 works – additional boardwalk to be installed: Work to be completed in 2021/22.

2021/22 capital improvement programme

Sandyleaze (BCC/91): before (left) and after (right) resurfacing

1. Sandyleaze, Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze (BCC/91). Path resurfacing: Work completed May 2021. 2. Saltwell Valley, Stockwood (BCC/514). Path resurfacing, drainage and other improvements: Work scheduled to commence July 2021. 3. Strawberry Lane, Hartcliffe and Withywood (BCC/335A). Stone infill of gullying and drainage improvement: Work scheduled for Autumn 2021. 4. Severn Way Bristol Link, various locations – signage and waymarking, step repairs and other improvement works following condition survey: Work to commence 2021/22 subject to budget.

DEFINITIVE MAP MODIFICATION ORDER CLAIMS

Rear of Shaldon Road and Morris Road, Lockleaze – The Definitive Map & Statement Modification Order No.1 2019 was made on 5th February 2019 and the consultation closed on 28th March 2019. Objections were made and not withdrawn, and subsequently the Order was submitted to the Secretary of

State. Site visits carried out with planning inspectorate July 2021, decision imminent.

Crow Lane to Machin Road, Henbury – The Definitive Map & Statement Modification Order No.2 2019 was made on 28th May 2019 and the consultation closed on 22nd July 2019. Objections were made and not withdrawn, and subsequently the Order was submitted to the Secretary of State. Site vists carried out with planning inspectorate July 2021, decision imminent.

Argyle Place to Cliftonwood Terrace, Clifton Wood – The Property Portfolio Officer is in the process of arranging the transfer to and adoption of the land by the Council, as required by the S106 Agreement. Investigation commenced as other means of resolving claim have reached an impasse.