§ Captain Kerbyasked the Minister of Transport what action he proposes to take as regards the order, Reference HL70/42/023, in view of the facts that houses have already been built across the section of Path 2151 between points C and E on the draft order plan and that his inspector has seen the houses personally; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Tom FraserI deprecate any obstruction of a footpath while a draft closure is under consideration and it is my practice to warn developers not to offend in this way. But in the particular circumstances of this case I have decided that the public interest will, on balance, be best served if I proceed to make the order as recommended by the Inspector.
§ Captain Kerbyasked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that building has been taking place since the Angmering Footpath Inquiry on 28th October, 1964, on part of the Chantry Field Estate, Road No. 1; that this part of the Chantry Field Estate is crossed by a part of Footpath 2151, for which no draft order has yet been made, and that the building 185W may obstruct the use of the path; what action he proposes to take; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Tom FraserI have been so informed in a letter of 17th January from Mr. Barkworth. Any illegal obstruction of the footpath is a matter for considertion by the West Sussex County Council. My only concern is whether or not to make a closure order after it has been applied for.
§ Captain Kerbyasked the Minister of Transport if he will give an assurance that his decision to leave open that section of Footpath 2151 between points E and D on the plan for Draft Order HL/70/42/023 is not dependent upon the future status of the part of the path immediately north of point D.
§ Mr. Tom FraserSection D-E of the footpath 2151 has been deleted from the draft order because its closure is not required to enable development to proceed as at present desired. If, however, further permitted development affecting this section either with or without its continuation to the north is desired any application for a further closure order will have to be considered on its merits.
§ Captain Kerbyasked the Minister of Transport why he has decided to delete from Order HL70/42/023 the short connection XY from Lloyd Goring Close to part DE of Footpath 2151, in view of the fact that the developers of Greenacres Estate have agreed to leave it open.
§ Mr. FraserSince the short connection XY was not included in the draft closure order no question of its deletion has arisen.
§ Captain Kerbyasked the Minister of Transport why the people and bodies who did not lodge written objections to the draft orders, but who were represented and raised objections at the Angmering Footpath Inquiry, on 28th October, 1964, have not been notified of the result.
§ Mr. Tom FraserThe representative of one of the objectors to the draft order acted at the inquiry on behalf of two other bodies and two individuals. A copy of the Minister's decision was sent only to the original objector. Separate copies have now been sent to these other objectors.