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Footpath Project

Pathway

Pathway

Chideock Parish Plan 2003 identified the need for a ‘safe’ pedestrian route from the village towards Bridport and in 2006 The Chideock to Eype Footpath Project was born!

After many, many years of negotiation, engineering drawings, planning applications and difficult land ownership issues we secured Planning Approval in March of this year.  Connect/ Balfour Beatty  remain committed to this project.  The building of the footpath is scheduled for late 2012 or early 2013.  The reason for the delay is that the Government has directed that there can be no trunk road engineering work in this part of the South West area until after the Olympic Games.  Whilst the delay is disappointing we are extremely grateful for the financial support pledged from both Dorset County Council and West Dorset District Council and the extremely generous offer from Connect/Balfour Beatty to build this footpath.

Footpath Plan

Footpath Plan

A big thank you must go to Connect/Balfour Beatty who have stuck with us over the last 5 years with all the planning/engineering/ land issue problems and especially their wonderful Land Agent Robin Barbour who is based in Bridport and constantly supports us!  We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved –  the Landowners who have patiently waited and still given their commitment to this project, the Dorset County Council, especially Andrew Bradley, West Dorset District Council, Gillian Summers – District Councillor,  Col.Brierley – County Councillor and Dr.Oliver Letwin M.P.  Chideock Parish Council especially Rob Murray and Symondsbury Parish Council who have continued to support us.

Footpath Plan

Footpath Plan

A really big thank you to all those individuals and organisations that either wrote or emailed their support for the recent planning application a – it would not have been approved without you! The Planning Officers report stated that whilst valid objections were made by the A.O.N.B. team he felt the overwhelming community support outweighed these considerations!  People power does work!

So thanks again to the Chideock W.I. The Chideock Society, The Chideock Art Group. West Dorset Leisure and Bridport Leisure Centre for writing on behalf of their organisations and all those members of the public that put pen to paper – or fingers to keyboard to ensure that at last we may have an all weather footpath built!

We will continue to update everyone via this website and the Chideock News and look forward to a future when we can walk up Chideock Hill to the East in safety and also take advantage of the wonderful views!

 

CONTACT US
telephone: Sarah Silcox Tel: 01297 489905 or Lyn Crisp Tel: 01297 489098
e-mail: Email Sarah or Email Lyn