RoW/7.5.2019 – 001841 Notes of the Meeting of the WITHYHAM PARISH COUNCIL Rights of Way Advisory Committee held on Tuesday 7th May 2019 at 7.30 pm at The Old Station, Groombridge PRESENT: Barry Clark, Gail Clarkson, Margaret Harley, Shirley Harrison, Malcolm McDonnell (Chair) In attendance: Debbie Siddle, Clerk (minutes) 1 Member of the public (interested in co-option) 1. APOLOGIES Cllr Robin Ashby, Richard Adams, Jo Sorenson Jane Clare is no longer a parish councillor 2. MINUTES 2.1. Minutes of the meeting held on 4th February 2019 001635 RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 4th February 2019 were correct and were signed by the Chairman. 2.2. Matters outstanding and arising from those minutes Completed Who What Clerk Amblers to undertake a Blackham walk on 63 and 64 now paths are cleared (May 2019) Clerk Gardeners markers bought to write on asset markers Clerk WDC and ESCC chased about vegetation/detritus along Back Lane, ESCC to make a site visit to assess issue and responsibilities Clerk Report made to ESCC re landowners issues identified on rights of way Clerk Payback team require access to facilities whilst working, making many paths unsuitable Matters arising from last meetings: Who What MM Provide links to committee members of 3 potential paths to add to Definitive Map Committee Note any potential footpaths, bridleways and twittens that are not members already on the map. Matters arising from this meeting: Who What Clerk Add co-option of member of public in attendance to next agenda Clerk Progress with ESCC the replacement of two stiles with gates Clerk Check revised footpath allocations • Noted that Groombridge Place has put up signs for walkers and is warning them when they walk off the paths • Back Lane bridge surface completed by SVR. Paid for by ESCC as argued that SVR is responsible for the structure not the surface. Mounting blocks to be put either end and signs to be displayed advising horse riders to dismount RoW/7.5.2019 – 001842 3. TERMS OF REFERENCE The Terms of Reference had been circulated prior to the meeting. 001636 RESOLVED to recommend to the May Annual Statutory Meeting. 4. GATES FOR STILES The Rights of Way Committee has a £500 budget. There is a ‘Gates for Stiles’ initiative, which encourages stiles to be replaced by gates in order to increase accessibility where such replacements could make a footpath available to less physically able people. ESCC would contact the landowner and install the gates if the landowner agreed. Kissing gates are around £300 and a standard gate around £125. The following stile replacements would make stile-free walks: • Replacement of the stile S4093 on FP38, which is in a poor state, with a gate would allow access all the way to Cherry Gardens. A kissing gate would be too large so a standard gate would likely be more suitable. • Replacement of the stile S4387 opposite Summerford Farm onto the fields FP46 would allow a stile free walk to Hale Court and a kissing gate would be appropriate 001637 RESOLVED that the Clerk should progress with ESCC the replacement of the above two stiles with gates. If the costs exceed the budget it would need to go to Council to agree. Committee to think about other possible candidates. For future consideration could be FP85 onto the road. 5. FOOTPATH ALLOCATIONS Jane Clare had said that she could continue to walk paths. There were also some reallocated. See list below for allocations. The Clerk would circulate this to check that allocations are correct. 6. REPORT ON THE CONDITION OF RIGHTS OF WAY Please see Appendix 1. 6. DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING - to note that the date of the next meeting is on Monday 5th August 2019 at 7.30pm in the Parish Office, The Old Station, Groombridge. The meeting closed at 8.30pm List of footpath allocations and problems (appendix 1): PATH NO. LOCATION Member Issues raised at May Responsible 2019 meeting (outstanding items Feb meeting) 1 Bridleway Fielden Road to Crowborough Warren JC/ Margaret Harley 2a, b Parish Boundary 506313 north west to path 7 JC/ Margaret Harley 4a, b St John’s Road across to Recreation Ground JC/ Margaret Harley 5a, b Off Ocklye Road across Forest JC/ Margaret Harley 6a, b, c New Mill Lane to Ocklye Road JC/ Margaret Harley 7a, b, c St John’s Road past the Horder Centre to the Forest JC/ Margaret Harley RoW/7.5.2019 – 001843 8a, b, c London Road, opposite Forest Fold Chapel, across JC/ Margaret Smugglers Lane to Inhams Wood to the ghyll and stream Harley 10a, b Byway Smugglers Lane to Hoadleys Lane JC/ Margaret Harley 11a, b Byway School Lane to top of Mardens Hill JC/ Margaret 11a needs a restricted Harley byway marker 12 Between 11 and 13 JC/ Margaret Marker post rotten at base Harley (junction 12 & 13b) 13a, b Hoadleys Farm to Mardens Hill JC/ Margaret Harley 14a, b Mardens Hill to Whitehouse Farm Lane Margaret Harley 15 Whitehouse Lane to London Road. Part lane to Highfields Margaret Harley (Morris Farm on map) 16 Off London Road to Adds Farm (now Dovedale) crosses JC/ Margaret just one field to the farm Harley 17a, b, c, d Drive to Gillridge Farm Marcus Tarling Bridleway 18 London Road – Summersales Farm to Gillridge Farm Marcus Tarling drive 19 Off drive to Gillridge Farm Marcus Tarling 20a Parish boundary south east of Rocks Farm to Rockswood Richard Adams Stream 20b Motts Mill Road to Rockswood Stream (north of 20c) Richard Adams 20c Motts Mill Road to Rockswood Stream (south of 20b) Richard Adams 21a, b Motts Mill (Rockswood Stream to London Road, C’b Richard Adams 511333) 22 Park Grove Lodge to Park Grove Richard Adams 23 Opposite White House Farm through Littlebrook to B2188 Richard Adams 25a, b, c, d Groombridge pumping station to Motts Mill Gail C 26a, b Motts Mill – ‘Broomfield’ – near Cherry Gardens Gail C 27a, b, c, d Sherlocks Lane to railway arch Gail C 28a, b, c Motts Mill to Yew Tree Cottage Gail C 29 Short path linking 25c and 28b Gail C 30 By waterworks, Groombridge to B2188 at Hendal Bridge Jo Sorensen/ Gail Clarkson 31 Bridleway Florance Lane, Groombridge Jo Sorensen 32 Gromenfield to Back Lane Parish RUPP/Byway Maintenance Person 33 Groombridge Institute to Cattle Arch Gail C Stile before cattle arch closest to Groombridge Place broken, could pose a danger. One other side also broken. MM to report via Ramblers 34 By the school across to Harrisons Rocks drive Shirley Harrison 35 Old Birchden Farm (near) to Leyswood Lodge Gail C 36 B2188 at Hendal Bridge to Ham Cottages B2110 Jo Sorensen/ Gail Clarkson 37 School Lane east to parish boundary with Crowborough JC RUPP/Byway 38a, b Cherry Gardens to Balls Green MM 40a, b Drive to Fishersgate from B2188 MM 40c, d Through woods to pheasantry and boundary with “ Hartfield and goes on to Chuck Hatch 41a, b Fishersgate to Withyham “ 41c, d Through woods to Maresfield Road “ 42 Off Fishersgate Drive to Hartfield boundary “ 43a, b From Dorset Arms, Withyham through Buckhurst Park “ 44 From Lye Green Corner to join 43b into Buckhurst Park “ RoW/7.5.2019 – 001844 46 Hale Court to Summerford Farm Richard Adams 48a, b Ham Fields Cottages to River Grom Richard Adams 49a, b, c Farm track, Ham Farm to Hale Court Farm Richard Adams 50 Hale Court Farm to Bridleway 56 Richard Adams 51a, b, c Summerford Farm to Hartfield boundary at footbridge Barry Clark Remains very narrow. Gate dropped at Summerford Barn. Slippery by river and narrow is hedges not cut 52 Short distance past 51b “ 53a, b Hale Court Farm to Bush Cottage “ 55 Bridleway From Beech Green Lane west to Perryhill Farm “ 56a, b, c, d, e Blackham/Ashurst Road (A264) to Lodgefield Farm to “ Bridleway Blackham Court to Beech Green Lane at Lyewood Common 57a, b Beech Green Lane to Lodgefield Farm to Ashurst railway “ bridge 57c, d Ashurst railway bridge to Willetts Farm to county Robin Ashby boundary 58a, b From Teasley Mead to Willetts Farm “ 59 Teasley Mead to A264 “ 60 Ashurst to Blackham “ 61a, b Ashurst to Blackham Court to path 56 Malcolm McDonnell 62a, b Blackham Court towards Hale Court to path 53 Andrea Swindells 63 From A264 Heath Place to Stephnetts Andrea Swindells 64 A264 Heath Place to Blackham Church Andrea Swindells 65a, b, c, d, e, Farmland Andrea Swindells f, g Bridleway 66 Past Nore Farm to county boundary Andrea Swindells 67 From junction with bridleway 65 across railway line to Andrea Swindells county boundary 68 Along Kent Water bank most of the way Andrea Swindells 69 From parish boundary to Great Wood to ‘The Sussex Andrea Swindells Oak’ 70 From 65 to Lower Hollywych Andrea Swindells 71 Drive to Tollhurst Andrea Swindells 72 From triangle with path 65b and 65c 73a, b Lealands to South Farm Shirley Harrison 74 South Farm to Birchden Farm Shirley Harrison 75 Twitten at Gromenfield Shirley Harrison 76a, b, c Park Corner to Pinstraw Farm past Harrisons Rocks to Gail C Broken gate at Pinstraw Eridge Road Farm – GC to talk to owner 77 Forgebank towards High Rocks Road Gail C 78 Beech Green Lane 489379 to Perryhill Farm approaching Malcolm latter from north north east McDonnell 79a From Tophill Farm to Perryhill Malcolm McDonnell 79b Skirts north edge of Tophill Farm buildings Malcolm McDonnell 79c Tophill Farm (off 79b/80) to junction of 51a/51b Malcolm McDonnell 80 Tophill Farm to Beech Green Lane MM 81 From Tophill Farm to Hartfield Richard Adams Narrow, walkers pushed into fence by hedge 82 Bridleway 476309 B2188 at Deerswood Farm to Crowborough MM Warren 83 Bridleway B2188 adj Kings Standing Farm drive to 481287 parish MM boundary 84 Path 76 to river Gail C 85 Normans Cottages eastward 200 yards to parish Gail C overcropped boundary 86 Knoll Path, Withyham – opposite Village Hall across field Malcolm to Churchyard McDonnell 87 The Victoria – Withyham Rd to Station Rd Parish Maintenance Person .