MORAY CORE PATHS PLAN/ADOPTED PLAN 2011 MORAY CORE PATHS PLAN/ADOPTED PLAN 2011 SECTION PAGE MAIN TEXT 1.....Introduction . 1 2.....Reason for this Plan and who is it for? . 1 3.....Legislative/Policy Linkages. 1 4.....Plan Objectives. 1 5.....The Moray Core Paths Plan – Public Consultation Process . 2 5a ...Consultative Draft Plan 2007. 2 5b ...Final Draft Plan 2008. 3 5c ...Finalised version of the Plan 2009 and the Local Inquiry . 3 6.....Core Paths Selection and Criteria . 3 7.....Core Paths – Statutory advantages of designation. 4 8.....Strategic Environmental Assessment. 4 9.....Path Development . 5 10...Paths Management . 5 11...Signage and Promotion . 6 12...Mitigating Impacts . 6 13...Resources and Implementation . 7 14...Plan Monitoring and Review . 8 TABLES Table 1 – Moray Core Paths Plan Cons ultative Draft 2007 . 2 Table 2 – Action Plan. 8 APPENDICES Moray Core Paths Appendices. 9 Appendix 1 – Integration with other Strategies and Plans . 10 Appendix 2 – Moray Local Access Strategy. Guiding principles and Key Features of the Moray Paths Network. 13 Appendix 3 – Potential Benefits of Access Improvements . 13 CORE PATHS INFORMATION TEXT – TABLES AND MAPS A – Map numbers . 14 B – Map labelling for Core Paths . 14 C – List of Core Paths and attributes tables . 14 D – The Maps. 14 Moray Core Paths and Attributes Tables . 17 Moray Core Paths Maps . 41 contents MORAY CORE PATHS PLAN/ADOPTED PLAN 2011 MORAY CORE PATHS PLAN/ADOPTED PLAN 2011 THE MORAY CORE PATHS PLAN – ADOPTED PLAN 2011 3. Legislative/Policy Linkages The statutory requirement to produce Core Path Plans for each local authority area contributes to a raft of 1. Introduction National Government Policy Objectives in terms of social justice, social inclusion, climate change mitigation, active travel, health and wellbeing and community economic development. The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gives everyone statutory access rights to most land and inland water. The Moray Core Paths Plan has and will help at a local level in achieving the following national and People only have these rights if they exercise them responsibly by respecting people’s privacy, safety and international targets: livelihoods and Scotland’s environment. Equally land managers have to manage their land and water • Kyoto protocol – reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 5% below 1990 levels between 2008 responsibly in relation to access rights. and 2012. MAIN TEXT Cycling Action Plan for Scotland – 10% of all journeys to be made by cycle by 2020. Simply having a right of access is not enough. Evidence suggests that generally what people prefer is to • use paths rather than having to negotiate their way through the wider countryside. As a result one of the • Walking Strategy for Scotland – An increase of 10% in the number of journeys per person made on foot duties placed on Local Authorities under the Act is to produce a Core Paths Plan.This will provide people by 2012 (compared to 1996 figures). with a basic framework of ‘key’ paths for both visitors and locals that balances the provision for public • Tomorrow’s roads safer for everyone (government road safety strategy) – 40% reduction in the number of access with the land management and privacy needs of those who live and work in the countryside. people killed or seriously injured in road accidents; 50% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured; 10% reduction in the slight casualty rate, all by 2010 (compared to 1996 figures). The Moray Council has met its statutory obligation in adopting this Moray Core Paths plan on 28th June 2011. The Adopted Plan resulted from an extensive public consultation and Local Inquiry process and the plan is • Towards a Healthier Scotland (White paper on health) – increase proportion of 11–15 year olds taking considered by the Moray Council to meet its legislative requirement of “providing a basic framework of Core vigorous exercise four times or more weekly to 50%; increase proportion of men and women of 16 to 44 Paths sufficient for the purpose of giving the public reasonable access throughout the local authority area”. years old taking vigorous exercise four times or more weekly to 60% and 50% respectively by 2010; reduce mortality rate in people under 75 years by 50%, from 1995 to 2010. It is inherent that the Plan focuses on the Statutory Core Paths. It has been necessary however to look at the greater access position in Moray, particularly how the wider Moray Paths Network feeds into Core Paths. At a regional and local level the production of the Moray Core Paths Plan will contribute to achieving Core paths are not therefore viewed in isolation. the objectives of a range of strategies including the following: Moray Community Planning Partnership – Single Outcome Agreement The Moray Core Paths Plan has been developed under the Moray Local Access Strategy Framework Document • 2002. A copy of this strategy can be viewed on the Council’s website www.moray.gov.uk • Moray 2020 The strategy which is in need of review still provides a framework for preparation and implementation of the • Moray Community Plan 2006 – 2010 (Under review) Moray Core Paths Plan with a view to improving and integrating the whole Moray Paths Network. • Moray Sustainability Initiatives (LA21 and Environmental Charter) Highlands Area Tourism Partnership Plan 2006 – 2015 The Adopted Moray Core Paths Plan 2011 can be viewed and downloaded at www.moray.gov.uk/corepaths. • Any queries relating to the Plan should be directed to: Moray Access Manager, Moray Council, Council Office, • Moray Road Safety Plan 2004–2007 High Street, Elgin, IV30 1BX, email: [email protected], telephone number 01343 543451. • Moray Indicative Forest Strategy 2001 • Highlands and Islands Countryside Access Strategy 2. Reason for this Plan and who is it for? • Moray Local Access Strategy – Framework Document 2002 In general the plan has been produced for the following reasons: • Regional Transport Strategy for the Highlands and Islands • Moray Development Plan – Moray Local Plan 2008 • It is required to be produced by The Moray Council under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. • Moray LocalTransport Strategy 2001 (under review) • A need to set a vision for the format of the Moray Core Paths Network and how it will be developed and managed to unlock the full range of benefits to Moray. • North East Scotland Biodiversity Action Plan • A need to facilitate opportunities to capitalise and consolidate scarce resources for paths and contribute to The rationale behind some of these strategies in the context of outdoor access and the links with the Moray a wide range of local, regional and national policy objectives in terms of economic development, health, Core Paths Plan is given in Appendix 1. sustainable transport, community safety and social inclusion. • A need to achieve focused, joined up thinking between Council departments, agencies and organisations with an interest in outdoor access, paths and sustainable transport. 4. Plan Objectives This Moray Core Paths Plan has four principle objectives, which collectively make up the vision for the next In general the plan is being produced for everyone who has an interest or a stake in outdoor access. In five years (i.e. until end 2015). essence this includes everyone who lives in, works in and visits outdoor locations and paths in Moray. (i) To provide an initial basic framework of Core Paths sufficient for the purpose of giving the public More specifically the following are considered to have a particular interest: reasonable access throughout the Moray Area. • Outdoor Access Users (ii) To facilitate a co–ordinated and planned approach to the development, management and promotion of • Land Managers including estate owners and farmers the whole Moray Paths Network including identified Moray Core Paths. Identified paths should accord Health professionals/organisations with the guiding principles and key features laid down for the whole Moray Paths Network in the • Moray Local Access Strategy Framework Document 2002 (see Appendix 2). • Community Groups/Local Outdoor Access Groups • Statutory agencies, including Moray Council departments, Scottish Natural Heritage, Historic Scotland, (iii) To maximise the social, economic and environmental benefits to the Moray area, consolidating the Forestry Commission Scotland and H.I.E. Moray. limited available resources (see Appendix 3). • Outdoor leisure businesses • Tourist operators and organisations (iv) To minimise any impact on the environment that may result from improvements to Moray’s Paths infrastructure. PAGE 1 MORAY CORE PATHS PLAN/ADOPTED PLAN 2011 5. The Moray Core Paths Plan – Public Consultation Process TABLE 1 – MORAY CORE PATHS PLAN CONSULTATIVE DRAFT 2007 MAIN GENERAL ISSUES ARISING FROM THE PUBLIC RESULTANT GENERAL CHANGES TO THE PLAN TO A lengthy public consultation exercise was conducted to ensure a full inclusive approach prior to plan RESPONSE ON THE CONSULTATIVE DRAFT PLAN 2007 PRODUCE THE FINAL DRAFT PLAN 2008 adoption. Plan was not sufficient to provide a framework of Core Addition of new Core Paths which include a wider variety of This public consultation process is summarized as follows: Paths for general access. Current complement of routes route types including loop paths and circular paths near to were too few in numbers and skeletal. Too much communities. Concentration on ensuring linkage and (a) Consultative Draft Plan 2007 concentration on linear linking routes. Need to add a wider integration of routes particularly around communities. For MAIN TEXT variety of Core Paths inclusive of loop paths and circular linking purposes sections of public road have been Comments on the 2007 Consultative Draft Plan were invited by the public focussing on whether the plan was paths near to communities. Need more paths particularly in included subject to safety considerations. New routes have ‘sufficient for purpose’.The consultation was informally based and lasted for three months between Elgin, Fochabers, Forres, Keith, Cabrach and Buckie.