Agenda and draft minutes

Members of the Forum and those in attendance were welcomed to the meeting and asked to introduce themselves.

It was noted that Gareth Ryman was attending his first meeting of the Local Countryside Access Forum since taking up his role as Green Infrastructure Strategy Manager. Gareth was welcomed to his new role.

It was noted there had been no formal changes to the membership since the last meeting.

The Forum agreed that it would be useful to have representation from horse riders on the Forum. Any member who fulfilled this who might be interested were asked to come forward.

Robert Solomon offered to pass on detail so that they could be posted on Facebook pages for horse riders.

Councillor Collings offered to post detail on this to Binfield and Warfield Facebook groups, which were areas horse riders were predominantly placed in Bracknell Forest.

The Forum was reminded that the position of Vice-Chair remained vacant. Members were informed that it did not have to be a current LCAF member to fill the vacancy, and asked to consider if they knew anyone with the suitable skills to take on the role.

Pending the following two amendments:

• The deletion of the duplicate first line under point 17.

• The amendment of the reference to Ambarrow Pond to Englemere Pond under point 18.

The minutes of the meeting held on 4 June 2024 were approved as a correct record.

The Forum was advised that appendix 2 of the agenda detailed routes which the Forum aimed to turn into Public Rights of Way or Access Routes. The membership was informed that time would be set aside at future meetings to prioritise these routes and determine which should be prioritised and which were the most achievable.

Members with suggestions for additional links between locations that could be added to the appendix were asked to send these to Colin, Rob, and Rose.

Richard Everett, Chief Forester of the Crown Estate, provided an update on the Crown Estate.

Richard informed the Forum that work was being carried out to improve the Crown Estate website. The updates for Windsor Great Park included the following:

·       Added extra functionality.

·       Introduced a dog-walking map showing where dogs could be walked, including areas where they must be kept on leads.

·       Provided further information, including a dog-walking code of conduct.

·       Launched a new cycling and walking map.

·       Added general information to the website.

This work initially focused on Windsor Great Park, with similar maps planned for Swinley Forest. Initial feedback on the changes indicated that users found them helpful in clarifying access points.

Operation Kickstart was ongoing in Swinley Forest, with routine patrols targeting individuals misbehaving or riding e-vehicles or motorbikes through the forest. An anti-fungi-picking campaign was also in progress, which had been supported by the strong police presence due to Operation Kickstart.

There had been flooding issues at the Crowthorne underpass. This was both a highways issue and a rights of way issue, as the highway was also in need of repair. The below-ground drain soakaway was currently being used for pre-planned road closures, but once available, it would be used to clear the underpass and temporarily alleviate the flooding.

The Forum was informed that seasonal harvesting was due to begin. Various stakeholders were being informed, but it was not expected to affect access.

During questions and discussion, the following points were noted:

• Information about dogs included the reasons they should be kept on leads.

• There was clear signage throughout all grounds indicating when dogs could be off lead and when they should be kept on lead.

• A light trail would be installed at the Saddle.

• The installation of rambler route signs throughout the estate was welcomed.

Following feedback from Sharon Fletcher and Les Langley on the accessibility of Horseshoe Lake, SANG funding had been secured to improve the path. The works were scheduled for late October and would include re-levelling and resurfacing with compacted gravel. These works would result in some temporary closures, and the council website would be updated regularly to provide information on these closures.

The Forum was informed that Rose Wicks had been updating the Bracknell Forest Council website to show the accessibility of all walking routes. This update would include details on what those with limited mobility could expect along each route. Six routes within the borough had also been added to the AccessAble web page, which could be accessed via the Bracknell Forest Council website. There was a discussion about the best way to promote the AccessAble pages. It was suggested that the link to the webpage be shared on Bracknell Forest Council’s Facebook page, as posts from the council were often widely shared online. This suggestion would be passed on to Rose to explore its feasibility (Action).

Work had been carried out on the Wildmoor boardwalk on Sandhurst FP13a to remove and replace sections of the boardwalk that had deteriorated due to rot. This had been a jointly funded project with the landowner. The new design featured a recycled plastic base with a wooden top, making it resistant to rot while maintaining a natural appearance. It was noted that the boardwalk was wheelchair accessible, although two wheelchairs would not be able to pass each other. However, the rest of Wildmoor Heath was a completely natural nature reserve and therefore not recommended for wheelchair users.

Berry Lane had been resurfaced, with the bottom section excavated to create drainage channels to prevent flooding or excessive mud during winter. The neighbouring ditches had also been utilised to reduce water flow and maintain the path in better condition.

There was an outstanding Definitive Map Modification Order application for a footpath between Peterhouse Close and Merton Close in Sandhurst. This application had been submitted on the basis of 20 years of claimed use. The legal process was now underway and would need to be followed precisely before a decision could be made on whether to add the path to the official map of footpaths. Officers had been in contact with the landowner and had held discussions with the legal team to ensure the correct process was followed. An update would be provided once action had been completed.

The SANG at Piglittle Field was set to be extended following a planning application in Wokingham for Amen Corner North. While Piglittle SANG had not yet been transferred to the Council's management, this was expected to happen at some point in the future. The Council was actively pushing for the transfer but several snagging issues remained unresolved, with no further updates available at this time. Various options were being presented to the landowners to bring the SANG up to standard, including the Council offering to carry out the necessary work.

There was no further update on the Blue Mountain SANG, as discussions with the developers were still ongoing. However, Cllr Collings informed the Forum that the Planning Committee had approved an application with a Section 106 condition, which would prevent occupancy until the work on Blue Mountain SANG had been completed. It was hoped that this would encourage the developers to address the outstanding snagging list at Blue Mountain SANG.

Rob Solomon updated the Forum about the incremental improvements to Shepherds Meadows North. Work had focused on improved surfacing around the site, with 100M of new footpath surfacing having now been installed to improve the path.

The Forum was also informed that the footbridge upgrade and replacement at Shepherds Meadows was expected to be finished in 2025. Funding to replace the bridge had been secured.  However, were a number of issues that needed to be resolved before the replacement bridge could be installed. Blackwater River is a salmonid river, which meant works could not be carried out between between 1 October and 15 June, in order to protect trout whilst spawning. Permission has also been needed from Natural England to access the SSSI. Ensuring the flora is undamaged in the floodplain meadows was also a challenge. Once this work has been completed, the SANG and it’s extension would be waymarked.

Arising from questions and discussion the following points were noted:

·       There were 3 funding sources, Bracknell Forest Council, Hampshire County Council and the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership

·       There were some challenges due to the costs being spread over 2 financial years, agreements would need to be arranged with funding partners about how the costs were spread between the 2 financial years.

·       There is a risk with developments such as this, that as soon as new things come to light, costs can rise, so this would need to be monitored. 

An update was also provided on the proposal for a new southern entrance to Frost Folly, following the Forum identifying previously the lack of a access to the south of Frost Folly. Progress was being made on the development and would be completed within the next couple of days.

Arising from questions and discussion the following points were noted:

·       Parking for the SANG at Frost Folly would remain to be in the North West of the map.

·       No parking signs would be placed near the southern entrance. It was emphasised that parking along Church Lane would cause disruption to the farmers. Other measures to prevent additional parking near that entrance would be taken if the need arose.

Robert Soloman informed the Forum that he was working with the landowners of Winkfield Bridleway 29 to resolve an issue with an encroaching hedge, which had reduced the path to just 3 metres. This was extremely narrow, particularly for horse riders.

Cllr Collings informed the Forum that Warfield Parish Council had been approached to lead the Hayley Green track application. However, they had deemed it a low priority, so progress was not expected soon, and there was currently no one to lead the application.

Colin Bird updated the Forum on the Ramblers’ route passing through land on Old Wokingham Road, which was now being used for ongoing planning applications by Wokingham Borough Council. While this fell outside the Forum’s formal remit to review rights of way in Wokingham, the Forum had an interest in the matter. It was hoped that the Ramblers’ routes could be enhanced by the developments, as they could pass through SANGs that would be incorporated within the planning application.

Nick Ballard raised concerns about imminent legislation from central government aimed at increasing housing development and the potential implications this could have for open spaces and paths. Several examples from Wokingham highlighted issues related to this, and concerns were raised that similar developments could occur in Bracknell. However, it was noted that Bracknell Forest was in a stronger position in terms of its five-year land supply.

There were no questions from the public.

The next meeting would be held on 28 January 2025.