Councillors campaign for footpath to be re-opened

THREE Warrington councillors are leading a campaign to have a well-used footpath declared a public right of way.
Chapelford and Old Hall councillors, Steve Parish, Rebecca Knowles and Paul Warburton, say developers have put a fence across the footpath and blocked public access from Bewsey Old Hall to Sankey Valley Park.

Cllr Steve Parish

Cllr Parish said it looked as if the developers were planning to complete 48 apartments that were part of the original consent to adapt Bewsey Old Hall for apartments, or to apply for consent for something different.
He said: “The path has been widely used by the community for decades and the planning inspector who approved the plans clearly referred to it as a public footpath, but it is not on the definitive map as a right of way.
It’s always been treated as a public footpath and we’re confident that it can be recognised as a right of way to ensure future public access. However, we do need evidence from local residents and users to support this and re-open the footpath.”
Cllr Parish says users of the path can contact the borough council’s principal engineer, Chris Bluck, and he will collect the evidence.
He added: “Cllrs. Rebecca Knowles, Paul Warburton and I will be at our usual monthly surgery at Sainsbury’s Café, Chapelford, 10-11am this Saturday, and can help explain what evidence is needed”.
Mr Bluck can be contacted by email at [email protected] or by post at New Town House, WA1 2NH.