Paths consultations for Jedburgh and Hawick
Tuesday, May 30 2006
Public consultations on Scottish Borders Council's Core Path Plan are being held in Jedburgh next week and Hawick the week after.
Drop-in consultation sessions will be held at Jedburgh Town Hall for the community council areas of Ancrum, Crailing and Eckford, Lanton, Jedburgh, Jed Valley, Oxnam, Kale Water and Yetholm.
They will take place at the following times:
Thursday 8 June - 2:00pm to 7:00pm
Friday 9 June - 2:00pm to 7.00pm
Saturday 10 June - 10:00am to 1:00pm.
Anyone who would like to take part, but who cannot come to a session, should contact Neil Donaldson on 0141 946 3987.
A drop-in consultation session for people living in the areas of Hawick, Burnfoot, Denholm and upper Teviotdale will be held on Thursday, 15 June from 7:00pm to 9:00pm in the Conference Room at the Teviotdale Leisure Centre.
Anyone who would like to take part, but who cannot come to the session, should contact Donald McPhillimy. Tel: 01383 889 074 or 07810 324407. donald.mcp@virgin.net
The aim of the Core Path Plan is to help identify the region's most used paths and tracks. The consultations will help SBC to establish a network of Core Paths, comprising the most popular and important tracks in the Borders, as required under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act, which came into force in February 2005. The Core Paths Network is designed to give reasonable public access to the whole of the Borders countryside and must be adopted by February 2008. The appraisal work, being carried out with the help of consultancy Projects Plus, is set for completion by July 2006.
The views of farmers and other land managers are also being sought as part of consultation, to ensure that they have the information they need to plan paths suitable for the landscape and land use.
The Borders provides wonderful opportunities for outdoor pursuits such as walking, cycling, horse-riding and water-sports. The Council's Access & Countryside Team manage these outdoor access resources.
There are approximately 2,000kms of rights of way, 500kms of promoted routes, longer distance routes (Southern Upland Way, John Buchan Way, St Cuthbert's Way, Borders Abbeys Way), Buccleuch Country Ride (horse-riding), Tweed Cycleway, 4 Abbeys Cycle Route, Border Loop, dedicated recreation sites such as Glentress and Newcastleton, and plenty of water courses for the water-sport enthusiasts.
The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 requires local authorities to:
* Publicise the Scottish Outdoor Access Code
* Protect access rights (for example keeping routes free from obstruction)
* Host regular Local Access Forum meetings
* Develop a system of Core Paths
The system of Core Paths must meet the needs of all users. This means that a range of different types of path will be required for walkers, cyclists, horse-riders and as access to water sports such as canoeing.
In 2002, SBC provided blank maps to all community councils with a view to identifying paths used by each community. The results generated very useful information for both the Council and each community. These results will now be included as part of the consultation exercise. We have also completed local path appraisals in Selkirk, Eyemouth, Coldstream, Lauder and Oxton, Galashiels, Kelso, Duns and Melrose.
Further access projects in the Borders include the South of Scotland Countryside Trails, which asked communities in the south-western part of the region their views on strategic, multi-use routes. The project recently created 350kms of routes throughout the southern upland areas.
For more information on individual appraisals, contact SBC's Planning & Economic Development Department on 01835 825060 or online
For information about the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and The Scottish Outdoor Access Code, please see www.outdooraccess-scotland.com
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