Issue - meetings

To consider a report on the agreement to grant permissive paths for horse riders on condition that liability for the surface of the routes and liability for personal injury of users is assumed by the Council.

The Committee considered a report on a proposed agreement to grant permissive paths for horse riders on condition of liability for the surface of the routes and liability for personal injury of users being assumed by the Council.

A permissive path agreement was essentially a private agreement between the Council and the individual concerned.  The Countryside Access Development Team had been approached by the Habitats and Hillforts Landscape Partnership Team with regard to a proposal to create two permissive paths for horse riders through the Peckforton Estate.   The Habitats and Hillforts Landscape Partnership Scheme was a partnership of local organisations and residents who were working together to improve the hillforts of the sandstone ridge which ran through Cheshire.

The Council’s Risk Management and Insurance advisors had indicated that the addition of the proposed permissive paths for horse riders would not incur any additional costs in relation to the Council’s insurance.

It was noted that work on surface drainage and furniture improvement would be undertaken with funding from the Habitats and Hillforts Landscape Partnership Scheme in order to bring the proposed routes up to a suitable standard for horse riders.  There was a 100 metre section of cobbles on a gradient on one of the proposed routes.  Signage and mounting blocks would be installed to recommend to users that they dismount to cross this section. 

The Committee considered that the proposed permissive paths for horse riders would offer users a traffic-free route for the riding and enjoyment of the area.  The need for which had been identified in the Rights of Way Improvement Plan.  The proposal was also in line with the published Equestrian Strategy of the former Cheshire County Council and also met one of the aims of the Habitats and Hillforts Landscape Partnership Scheme.

RESOLVED:

That the Council enter into a permissive path agreement with the landowner to create permissive paths for horse riders in the parish of Peckforton.