The council has pledged to clear a blocked twitten within days rather than weeks and to use security cameras to monitor the path in the future.
The twitten, between 54 and 56 Woodland Drive, Hove, leads to and from the Three Cornered Copse and links residents in Woodland Avenue and neighbouring streets to their local shops.
It has been closed for almost a year and residents have criticised Brighton and Hove City Council for being slow to maintain the path and the public right of way.
The closure of the path has affected trade at the row of shops in Woodland Parade as well as angering dog walkers and other residents in the area.
The path is currently blocked by rubble from a wall and storm-damaged fencing bordering 56 Woodland Drive – and the council has now promised to clear the debris and make the twitten safe.
At a meeting by the entrance to the twitten on Friday (13 September), the family at 54 Woodland Drive were vocal in expressing their objections to the reopening of the path. Sussex Police attended.
Labour councillor Trevor Muten, the council’s cabinet member for transport, parking and the public realm, and Conservative councillor Ivan Lyons, who represents the ward, Westdene and Hove Park, were drowned out at times.
Councillor Muten wrote to residents in the area yesterday (Monday 16 September). He said: “We have now made a legal order confirming the footpath as an official public footpath.
“I would like to again thank those of you who supplied us with evidence to support the order. It demonstrates the passion and determination of the local community to get the path reopened.
“During a visit by council officers to the site earlier last week, it became clear other sections of the boundary wall of 56 are still at risk of collapse.
“We have, regrettably, had to keep the footpath closed until the area has been made safe.
“Following discussions with the council’s legal team and council officers this morning, we now intend to issue a section 78 notice under the Building Act 1984 which gives us, as the local authority, the power to remove dangerous structures.
“This is the quickest, most practical solution to getting the footpath reopened as soon as possible following the legal process.
“We are securing the services of a structural engineer to assess the wall bordering 56 Woodland Drive.
“Assuming the structural engineer agrees with the assessment of our building control surveyor that the wall is dangerous, we will have it removed. We’re currently finding a contractor who can do this work.
“Once the wall and any obstructions are removed, we can then erect fencing on both sides of the footpath to cover any gaps and safety risks.
“We will then reopen the path.
“We hope all this can be done in days, rather than weeks.
“We then intend to put up CCTV cameras to monitor the path and reinstate the public footpath signage.
“Any signs remaining that indicate the footpath is private are incorrect and will be removed.
“We understand the frustration of the local community and this has gone on much longer than anyone would have liked.
“We accept we should have acted sooner but we have now made this a priority and are working to get this path opened as soon as possible.
“This is a much-loved footpath and is there to be used and enjoyed by local residents and I’m determined this is done quickly. I’d again like to thank the local community for their patience and support.”
Hoorah and hip hip hooray!
Finally an action by the new Commander in Chief that is worthy of praise!
Spitfires over the moon!
Can you put up CCTV by the cafe Nero on the drove / church road to monitor the bin that the 2 kebab shops keep illegally filling up please
So the people buy an expensive house next to a path leading to a park. Don’t like living next to this path, so when their wall falls over a year ago they leave the debris blocking it, taking no action to clear it and inconvenience everyone who used this path and hurt local businesses. Then fight the council meaning it costs us all our council tax? Fine upstanding citizens
Why should the owners of 54 have to put up with a path at the side of their house that was there when they bought their house?
Good for them for blocking it and fighting it wasting the councils time
what happens if the homeowner is unable to cover the costs of the work carried out in the enforcement of the section 78 notice. hopefully its prison.
The Council can put a lien on the property so when it’s sold they get their value.
If it’s rubble from the storm damaged said property, why aren’t the property owners removing it!?
Even in effluent Woodland Drive, it’s leave it to the council to do it for them!