Closed for safety: Path was shut in 2014

A RESIDENT of Beach Hill in Milford Haven has spoken to The Herald about his and his neighbours’ frustration at trying to get a closed section of footpath near his home re-opened to the public.

The footpath off their road was closed for safety reasons in the summer of 2014.

David Horton and most of the other residents of the road have signed a petition asking the local authority to act to ensure that the footpath remains open; however, recent developments have rekindled fears that the path will be lost forever.

In June, a council officer, Matt Cloud, wrote to Mr Horton stating that the closed section of path had been cleared and ‘our engineers will be designing a safe route with handrail and tarmac surface along that section’.

However, a recent tarmacking project by the council did not encompass the closed section of path as promised.

Speaking to The Herald, Mr Horton said: “A couple of years ago, a building plot adjacent to our home was sold. The plot was bounded on three side by public pathways, two of which are the official coastal path. The purchaser told me that he ‘knew people’ in the council.

“Within a very short time, he had undermined the coastal path by digging it out to enlarge his property, making the path dangerous. The council, instead of insisting that the path be repaired, simply closed it. This has forced people to use an alternative route which is very steep and difficult.

“On calling the council, they told me that they had done a survey and that people don’t use the closed section anyway.”

Mr Horton explained the latest developments. He said: “On October 20, there was a total about-face by the council. Contractors have now laid gravel on the alternative much steeper path. Matt Cloud from the council has now confirmed to me that the council now intends to tarmac the alternative path and open the closed section ‘sometime in the near future’.

A spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council told The Herald: “We are currently working on a project to improve a network of paths in the area, including paths that connect with Beach Hill.”

He added: “There are no ‘original’ or ‘alternative’ paths as all routes that are being improved are public Rights of Way. There are issues with a small section of one of the paths that are currently being discussed between the council and the contractors. We are working to resolve these issues.”

The spokesman said: “We do not accept at this point that a section of path has been undermined by a landowner.”