Decision

To create a Public Right of Way [bridleway] at Keep Hill Woods, High Wycombe,
Buckinghamshire.

Reasons for the decision

It is proposed to create a new Public Bridleway through an area of
Buckinghamshire Council owned woodland to connect an existing Public Bridleway into the
wider highway network; I have enclosed a copy of the Proposed Plan at Appendix 1. The route
is also subject to discussions around using s106 money from nearby developments and Active
Travel England funding, to resurface the route.
A plan is enclosed of the rights of way network, with footpaths shown with black dashed
lines (Appendix 2). Bridleway HWU/67/1 is technically a dead-end route on the definitive
map, falling 122m short of the adopted highway. However, a route has been available to the
public for at least 120 years, according to our records.
Marked in red (Appendix 3) is the bridleway connection needed on council land ‘New
Bridleway link [council land]’ and in blue on private land with no registered owner ‘New
Bridleway link [no ownership]’ to connect to Warren Wood Drive. A notice has been
displayed on site for 28 days calling the landowner to come forward and no response has
been received. A section 26 Highways Act 1980 creation Order will be required to connect
the blue section of bridleway with the nearest highway – Warren Wood Drive.
An officer has been on site and confirmed there is no work necessary to bring the route into
effect. The route is already signposted as bridleway from Warren Wood Drive and the
council has been maintaining the surface as though the route is already a public bridleway.
The future maintenance of the route as a Public Right of Way will fall to the Rights of Way
Operations Team as part of the existing budget envelope. The width of the route will be a
minimum of 5 metre.

Alternative options considered

Failure to record the route on the definitive
map could lead to uncertainty of the publics’ right to use the bridleway, with a risk that the
public may lose rights of access should these be challenged in future. Processing the
agreement now will also save officer time and council resources investigating evidence
through the DMMO process, should a claim be made. Further, in its recorded state, with a
minimum width, the public’s rights are protected should the neighbours seek to take adverse
possession of the land.