There has been a fresh development in the saga to restore public access to this top quality crag and cherished local landmark.

The area around the crag was provisionally mapped as Open Access land under the CRoW Act (2000), but the landowner contested this and won her appeal during a public inquiry in 2005. Since then various parties (including the BMC, The Ramblers and the DNPA) have tried to negotiate an access agreement with the owner – all to no avail – and access to the crag has been banned ever since.

In the meantime, The Ramblers and the BMC campaigned for the footpath's leading to the Tor to be designated as Public Rights of Way (PRoW). Devon County Council (DCC) considered the evidence and recommended the Definitive Map should be modified to this effect. However, the BMC has learned the landowner has appealed against the decision, and the case will be heard at another Planning Inspectorate public inquiry in Autumn 2010.

So, where does that leave us? Naturally, the BMC will continue to push for a dedicated PRoW to the Tor, and you may also have the opportunity to get involved. If you submitted an evidence form in 2007, DCC may ask you to attend the public inquiry and give evidence.
 

Watch this space…

Read the joint BMC / Ramblers press release
 

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