Minutes:
Richard Walton, Public Rights of Way and Country Parks Manager, gave an update on the service.
Staffing
An additional Senior Officer, Simon Houghton, had been appointed internally to lead the team of five wardens in the north of the County. Steve Gardner would lead the wardens based in the southern area. There had been a couple of warden vacancies, one a longstanding vacancy and the other for the warden area previously covered by Simon Houghton. The P3 Coordinator had been appointed to the vacancy in south Devon. Subject to final details, a very experienced candiate had been appointed to north Devon to commence in mid-October. A very good response had been received to the external advertising for this post.
An approval request had been submitted to the senior leadership team to recruit for the now vacant P3 post. In the interim the P3 Coordinator had been doing some work to ensure continuity. A decision was expected shortly. It was hoped to seek opportunities to strengthen the wider partnership work of the role by working more closely with other voluntary groups and networks.
An approval case was still being worked on for the Senior Officer post to lead the Definitive Map Review and Technical team.
Lower Otter Restoration Project
The new bridge, which will become the route for part of the South West Coast Path and King Charles lll England Coast Path, had been put in place. The Public Rights of Way team is working with the Environment Agency and East Devon District Council on Path Orders related to realignment of the paths onto the new bridge and other locations within the project area. East Devon District Council had done some earlier orders under the Town and Country Planning Act but these were withdrawn to allow mapping errors to be corrected.
The Environment Agency intended to work on the embankment at the end of October.
Exe Estuary Trail
The Environment Agency was using its powers to close part of the Exe Estuary Trail to carry out emergency embankment repairs. The PRoW warden is liaising with Kier, the contractors, to look at managed access around the work. Recent flooding may potentially have impacted on the project.
Devon County Council is commencing a three-month closure to replace the rotting wooden boardwalk south of Topsham, a £1 million investment, using composite materials more resistant to the damp environment. This should have a significantly longer lifespan. A diversion will be in place adding a mile or so to the trail using a road crossing and minor roads. It is hoped to complete works before the Christmas holiday period.
Double Waters
The old, significantly eroded footbridge over the river at Double Waters, Walkhampton, had been replaced with a new footbridge. The aspiration was to provide a higher specification bridge suitable for horses and bicycles as the route across the river connects bridleways. A previous application to Dartmoor National Park in 2021 had been withdrawn due to the high level of objections to the design required to meet the required standards for a bridge suitable for cyclists and horse riders. Without action to replace the footbridge, public access would have been lost as the existing structure was no longer safe.
Flooding and climate change
Flas flooding had significantly impacted on Newton Poppleford in May and and an historic culvert next to the Grand Western Canal at Lowdwells had been subject to excessive volume of water, impacting on nearby properties. Contractors should be on site shortly to repair sections of paths and the culvert. Remedial works were expected to cost £300,000.
A request was made for the PRoW team to put up information boards on some of the routes so that the public were aware of planned work.
Action: Richard Walton, Public Rights of Way and Country Parks Manager.
Concern was expressed about implications for budgets following unplanned expenditure. Richard Walton confirmed discussions were taking place with Government for additional investment if the relevant formulae could be met. Separate capital codes were identified for unplanned events. Ultimately it would have to balance out on the Highways capital programme.
Stover Country Park
Purchase of an area of agricultural land between the Country Park and Stover School had been completed. This would relieve pressure on the lake area. It would enable a new access loop and improve the trail network through connections to existing trails and permissive access on Sibelco land, as well as allowing partial restoration of part of the Serpentine Lake.
Contractors will be on site during the winter to carry out car park improvements and upgrade, remodel and extend the visitor centre. The building will become more energy efficient with new heat pumps and a better drainage system, thus producing revenue budget savings in the longer term.
It was not feasible for the costs of renovating the subterranean stables at Stover School to be included as part of the Delivery phase bid but the Development phase produced conservation plans to RIBA Stage 3. Historic England remain interested in supporting stabilising and conserving the stables and temple, with potential future funding towards a related, separate project. Potentially there might be permissive access opportunities to enable visitors to the park to see the stables but not as a specific part of this Delivery phase.
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding had been approved linked to the role of Stover in meeting growth through the planning process. It was noted that the potential impact of planned increased visitor use would be a challenge if numbers were higher than anticipated. Additional information was requested requested regarding visitors numbers and projections.
Action: Richard Walton, Public Rights of Way and Country Parks Manager.
Funding details were being finalised with National Highways for the approved
grant regarding the Serpentine Lake and the Gatehouse.
Under-represented audiences and social enterprise organisations were being encouraged to use the park with supported visits and a focus on health and well-being. This work was progressing really well.
King Charles lll England Coast Path
Works previously mentioned had been completed. Grant bids would be submitted on the Kingswear to Lyme Regis stretch within the next couple of months. Some improvement works had been completed in since the initial reports were written. Projects identified were minor signage around the Exe Estuary and improved steps and handrails atFroward Point.
At Mothecombe in south Devon costings were being put together for steps in the wall at the top of the beach to enable it to become the high tide route.
Designation of the sections between Combe Martin and Marsland Mouth and Cremyll to Kingswear had not been finalised. These were due with the Secretary of State imminently with a decision likely early to mid-2024.
Other works
Improvements for disability access at the Tavistock Canal and on the South West Coast Path at Wembury, where a compressed stone path had been put in, were commended. Richard Walton confirmed that the Tavistock Ramblers had been pivotal in driving improvements forward on the Canal and the National Trust and South West Coast Path Association similarly at Wembury.
Highways Capital Innovation Fund
A bid had been put in to trial different surfaces to reduce carbon impact, including recycled rubber.