Two public footpaths on the boundary between Roughlee and Higham are to be diverted and part of a third extinguished, councillors have agreed.
Members of Pendle Council’s Barrowford and Western Parishes Committee agreed to an application for the changes to be made from the residents of Haddings Hall Farmhouse, where the three paths, numbered 95 to 97, meet at their meeting on Thursday night.
The council’s footpaths officer, Tom Partridge, recommended approval in a report to their meeting, saying: “The existing line of footpaths 96 and 97 does not sit comfortably with the current use of the land.
“From the point of view of the residents of Haddings Head the footpath is very intrusive to the enjoyment of their garden.
“From the perspective of footpath users the experience is not much better – it can be a very uncomfortable feeling to use a public right of way which runs through someone’s garden, and this example is more extreme than most.
“There is no other land attached to Haddings Head Farmhouse and so to resolve this the residents have no alternative apart from applying to divert the footpath over the land neighbouring theirs
“The owner of the adjoining land can object to the proposed diversion if we make a diversion order.
“However, her objection would have to show that the proposals fall foul of the legislative criteria in some way.
“We have given careful consideration to how the proposal meets these criteria, as set out in this report, and it therefore seems unlikely that an objection would result in a decision by the Secretary of State not to confirm the order.
“This application presents an opportunity to improve the rights of way network so that it fits more comfortably with modern land uses, for the benefit of the public and the residents of Haddings Head.
“The owner of the land for the new path can then claim compensation for the impact on her and her land.”