Dandara Footpath

Regular readers will know that a number of residents of Willis Road have been concerned to protect the public footpath that runs across the rear of their properties, skirting the northern edge of the Dandara (Aston Road-Glebe) development site.

Although opinions differ a little, there is a general desire among those residents to keep the footpath as "rural" and "natural" as possible. If it cannot be kept as a natural fieldpath without a surface covering, a suggestion was made that a 'Hoggin' surface could be laid — see previous report

A meeting was held with the Dandara project manager at the site office on Wednesday 11th July, attended by six residents of Willis Road, David Truesdale (Chairman of Haddenahm Parish Council) and the editor of this website.

At that meeting it was very clear that Dandara would be more than happy to lay a Hoggin surface. The project manager also stated his desire to keep the laid surface down to just a 1.2 metre width — leaving a natural edge bordering the rear garden perimeters along Willis Road.

However, it was noted that the Rights of Way Officer at Bucks County Council is insisting on the path being finished with a tarmac surface. There is also the possibility that BCC will insist on a laid path that is wider than strongly preferred by residents and the Chairman of HPC.

As a fall-back position, HPC is now lobbying for a 'sealed gravel' surface or (if the final surface has to be tarmac by BCC dictat) that it is finished in a light (buff) coloured suface. The Chairman of HPC is also supportive of limiting the width of the path surface to 1.2m