Council betrays public over van Hoogstraten path [1 August 2000]

THE RAMBLERS’ Association has accused East Sussex county council of conducting a sham public consultation over the blocked footpath on the estate of millionaire Nicholas van Hoogstraten.

The 140-year-old public path on High Cross Estate, Uckfield, East Sussex, has been illegally blocked with a locked gate, barbed wire, refrigeration units and a barn for more than ten years. The council has suspended a recent order to clear the route while it considers an application by the landowner to divert the path.

But the Ramblers’ Association has learned that more than 3,700 people have already written to the council urging it not to accept the diversion and to clear the existing path instead. Now, the council is washing its hands of a decision over the route of the path by saying it intends to pass the diversion proposal to a public inquiry.

Ramblers executive committee member Kate Ashbrook said: "The council’s consultation process has been a complete sham. We know that hundreds of people have written to object to the proposal, yet the council is still planning to go ahead with the unnecessary diversion.

"There is simply no need for a lengthy and expensive public inquiry in this case. The council clearly does not have the guts to make a decision on the path. Instead of passing the buck, it should listen to public opinion, reject the proposed diversion and open up this ancient path for everyone to use."

The Ramblers’ Association is demanding that the council carries out its legal duty to open the path. In January the Ramblers won a major court victory when Lewes magistrates found Rarebargain Ltd - the company to whom the land is officially registered - guilty of illegally blocking the path and issued a £1,600 fine. However, only East Sussex council can order the removal of the obstructions.

In March the council served a 90-day enforcement notice on the landowner to remove the obstructions. At the eleventh hour the owner proposed to change the route of the path, allowing the obstructions to remain in place.

"The proposed diversion would leave all the obstructions in place and divert the path on to a crazy zigzag route," said Kate Ashbrook. "The council has a legal duty to keep the path open for the public, but instead is conniving with the van Hoogstraten estate to help the landowner keep the path blocked. The police might as well help a burglar to keep his loot."

News Index