The Battle for Broxhead Common
The Case for Hampshire County Council – PART 14
- Hampshire County Council were still hell bent on obtaining the Diversion Order for BW4 and BW46. They would make yet another Order in 1990.
- This would be their third attempt to regularise diversions caused by the unauthorised fencing.
- Could we restore our bridleway link this time? It was now more important than ever because in 1988, the ‘landowner’ had locked the gates to the only path which everyone used between the Forestry Commission fence and his unauthorised fencing in order to reach the other two bridleways on the common. That is two out of the 23 original tracks remember.
1989 letter Headley Wood closure of the only access to BW46 Broxhead Common19092018
- Gillian Potter, BHS County Chair at that time, wrote to Mr David Pryke, HCC Rights of Way Officer, pointing out that her predecessors Brigadier Eggar and Col. Archer-Shea had also been concerned about the need to rationalise the bridleways system in the area.
Gillian Potter to Pryke
- 7th February 1989, a reply comes from Assistant county secretary, Edward Mason, sending her a copy of the Court of Appeal Order, and telling her the 80 acres is not common land!!?? This is misleading and false information. He follows up with another letter dated:
Mason to Potter 1989
- 28th March 1989 shortly after their doomed Public Inquiry, in which he says, “Maureen Comber has been advised to work up a case for a Creation Order for the bridleway link.”
HCC Edward Mason 1989 letter06092020
- Is it just the ‘said owner’ as well as East Hampshire District Council’s Rights of Way Department that is frustrating the attempt to rationalise the bridleway network over Broxhead Common?
Next time: Apparently not. There appears to be another dissident.