Barnham footpath can be upgraded to bridleway

An application on behalf of the British Horse Society was discussed and agreed by the planning and rights of way committee on Wednesday (April 30).

The changes will see parts of public footpath 146, which runs from St Mary’s Church, Barnham, down to the A259 Charles Purley Way, upgraded to bridleway. A second stretch – from where it joins with footpath 147 – will also be upgraded down to Flansham.

There will also be changes to a central part of the route. In 2000, part of footpath 146 was diverted and is now a permitted cycleway. That will remain and the previous route will be reclaimed as a bridleway.

The council received a handful of objections, with concerns raised about safety, maintenance and hygiene, as well as claims that the route hadn’t been used by horses ‘for at least 60 years’.

Officers, though, said there was historical evidence that it had been used prior to that. While acknowledging that the application was ‘finely balanced’, they recommended it for approval.

To view the application, log on to westsussex.planning-register.co.uk and search for WSCC/001/24.