Horseriders attempt to destroy Chadkirk Chapel grounds

[CTCREP]

I first read about this on an alternative web site. It was stated, amongst other things, that it would benefit cyclists and that horse riders had few areas in which to ride.  Here is my comment:-

I fully recognise that people with horses want to be able to ride further, but I also recognise that horses on footpaths, even if it is called a bridleway, generally cause surface erosion etc making the route unpleasant for the majority of other users. ( in this instance I consider the idea that it would be beneficial to cyclists shows a marked lack of knowledge of cycling and certainly shouldn't be part of the claim). In this area there are many fields dedicated to catering for horses, surely it would be beneficial to the riders if the landowners got together to create horse only trails linking these fields and so the riders would then have the freedom to ride as they wish without the fear of colliding with pedestrians etc.

[My login is Henrietta]

I sincerely hope that Cameron got nowhere near to Chadkirk Chapel. Did he come to oversee the Tory horseriders’ current attempt to destroy this gem of a site by constructing a new route for horses which will decimate the whole site? (See the Friends of Chadkirk’s Chairman’s recent letter to the Stockport Express).

Chadkirk Chapel and its grounds is a wonderful peaceful oasis and asset to Stockport which if Cameron and his LibDem henchmen had their way would quite simply be bulldozed into the Goyt to save an extra few bob. A wonderful job maintaining the grounds is done by a team of dedicated volunteers under the direction of a tiny number of Parks staff but Parks & Recreation is one of the council departments which was cut most savagely by the Condem alliance. I sincerely hope that this little gem of a site is not allowed to slowly decay due to inadequate funding or even worse by Tory horse riders who should be using the road but who are currently attempting to decimate this site  by trying to turn it into an unofficial racetrack or tying their horses to trees by long ropes to graze the pastures.

Marpleramblers rant was quite unreasonable. Not so much in its theme - free speech should never be censored - but its assumptions and spite were not acceptable. If he has a problem about footpaths being closed and bridleways opened he is  not on his own but to carry on in such a childish manner, speciously lumping horse riders into a political group doesn't help his case at all.

The Chadkirk case may or may not be dubious but Marplerambler, who I assume is a recreational walker, would do well to remember that The National Federation of Bridleways Associations and the British Horse Society have, over the years, contributed to the keeping open of traditional bridleways and the opening of new bridleways for the benefit of walkers and cyclists as well as horses, often in the teeth of opposition from big business and government agencies.

[admin]

This is not about politics at all but a quick search shows that it's an issue that the Friends of Chadkirk think is very important.

Marple Rambler has beaten me to it to post the background but here a link to the FoC web site that (I think) pulls most of the relevant posts on their site together on reverse chronological order:

https://friendsofchadkirk.wordpress.com/category/change-at-chadkirk-footpath-closurebridleway-planned/

I'm going to move the thread to Local Issues, which is where it belongs.

[marplerambler]

Quote from Friends of Chadkirk estate website:

New bridleway…to be or not to be ?
Posted on December 11, 2014 | Leave a comment

The story so far.

In March 2014 Werneth Area Committee agreed to a proposal to build a new bridleway. The existing footpath from the car park, by the stream and through Little Wood would be closed. A new bridleway would be built so that horses could go around a circuit in the fields, including the Coronation Meadow.

In July, a casual remark from a council employee alerted the Friends of Chadkirk to the plan.

From July to November, Friends of Chadkirk set about learning more about the plans, so that other users groups might be consulted about the desirability of the proposal and to get some idea of how it might affect the environment.

In November 2014 Werneth Area Committee met and decided to request that more information was collected and a report submitted.

The Werneth Area Committee met again on Monday 8th December.
Chadkirk bridleway was Item 10 on the agenda.

The minutes of the meeting are now available on line. Here are the key paragraphs:

Since this date (March 2014) and prior to works starting on site or indeed the Deed of Dedication being drafted a number of issues have arisen. It is possible that had the Committee been aware of these issues at the time the resolution to dedicate the bridleway might not have been made.
     
The Area Committee is recommended to  reconsider the dedication of a bridleway at Chadkirk Country Estate, marked A-B on the attached plan given the considerations listed within the report.   

    Minutes:
    A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining the current position with regard to the dedication of a bridleway at Chadkirk Country Estate previously approved by the Area Committee at its meeting on 10 March 2014.
     
    RESOLVED – That consideration of this item be deferred to a future meeting of the Area Committee pending a full consultation on the proposals to rescind the previous decision of the Area Committee to make an Order to dedicate a bridleway at Chadkirk Country Estate as marked A-B on the plan attached to the report.

Can anyone track down the recent Stockport Express letter?

[marplerambler]

Clearly the Conservatives feel that they have a chance with the Hazel Grove constituency as I'm led to believe that David Cameron himself was in Chadkirk yesterday.

I sincerely hope that Cameron got nowhere near to Chadkirk Chapel. Did he come to oversee the Tory horseriders’ current attempt to destroy this gem of a site by constructing a new route for horses which will decimate the whole site? (See the Friends of Chadkirk’s Chairman’s recent letter to the Stockport Express).

Chadkirk Chapel and its grounds is a wonderful peaceful oasis and asset to Stockport which if Cameron and his LibDem henchmen had their way would quite simply be bulldozed into the Goyt to save an extra few bob. A wonderful job maintaining the grounds is done by a team of dedicated volunteers under the direction of a tiny number of Parks staff but Parks & Recreation is one of the council departments which was cut most savagely by the Condem alliance. I sincerely hope that this little gem of a site is not allowed to slowly decay due to inadequate funding or even worse by Tory horse riders who should be using the road but who are currently attempting to decimate this site  by trying to turn it into an unofficial racetrack or tying their horses to trees by long ropes to graze the pastures.