Bouchland/Boutchland Farm

Fixer · Tribune

Bouchland/Boutchland Farm

Withybrook · Senior Member

Should be BOTCH.....LAND !!

Tibby · Senior Member

Well done Andy,
Should you not have lead that ride would anyone have uncovered the potential loss of another lane.

tomh · Guru

i think part of the recent spate of confrontations on 'new' lanes is due to the fact that many lanes have effectively lay dormant for many years,and the landowner has got used to having sole use or lawning them.
With the amount of research that is now being done and our desire to ride somewhere different is upsetting the smug landowners who are claiming the lanes for there own use.
Simple answer is ride all the lanes possible on a regular basis!

Fixer · Tribune

Hi Tomh,
I thoroughly agree with you which is why I'm trying to get to all the problem lanes on a frequent basis. unfortunately this means that my runs are a bit higgledy-piggledy but I enjoy them.

Do you have any contacts at CCC, Truro, for Rights of Way?

Fixer · Tribune

I've had a great e-mail from Nick Steenman-Clark, Public Rights of Way Officer, Definitive Map Research (N Devon). and I'll be off to see him next week as soon as I can.

Captain Slow · Senior Member

When it's all sorted in our favour who's up for a picnic on that nice bit of lawn which covers the road?

Keep going Andy!

-- Edited by Captain Slow on Friday 18th of September 2009 06:23:58 PM

Two Thumbs · Senior Member

Great idea Bob i'll bring some cheese and crackers smile

Your doing a stirling job Andy saving our rights to ride lanes like this one

In Nick Mitchell's email he states "
Category 9 carriageway although a search of older records has produced evidence which suggests the lane may no longer be in the ownership of or maintained by Devon County Council"
Does this mean no riding until resolved ? And whats a Category 9 ?

Cheers

Fixer · Tribune

That's a tricky question....we can't ride it until the fence comes down so I suppose the answer's no!. Regarding the Class 9 lane that's a weird one. Class 13 means they let it rot and do nowt to it. Class 12 means they're mildly interested in it so Class 9 must be quite good for us.

Now another conundrum....

Bouchland Farm doesn't appear on the Land Registry because it never had to. Now it's up for sale...CLICK HERE..... it will appear on the Land Registry once it's sold.

If you look at the .pdf file from that link and scroll to the last but 2 page....you will see the map of the farm and what they are claiming is a private road....so, you looked? So you also noticed it is the top part of the lane that is tarmac'd not the bottom unpaved bit?????? confuse

I'm off to see the North PRoW guy next week and I'll be making an appointment to see Highways, poss Barnstaple, as well.

I'm getting more determined as time goes by.

Haven't heard from the local PCSO about taking a statement yet!

Fixer · Tribune

I just got impatient and spent £8 and downloaded the Land Registry title for Valle Vue which is, I believe, where the loud mouthed pair came from.

Now another conundrum.... Registered owners are
KEVIN JOHN TERRY WATTS and STANICE GAYE WATTS of
Valle Vue, Burrington, Umberleigh, Devon EX37 9NF.

Apart from a weird name 'Stanice' there's no mention of a Jean?

Their plans indicate they own Valle Vue and the field opposite but not the road!

You can see the road in dispute beyond Bouchland Farm but it also shows a gate before and after the farm that doesn't appear on the Tithe Maps which are considerably earlier than this one.

Two Thumbs · Senior Member

Hmm interesting , the estate agent blurb also states that the property is approached by its own private drive , land grabbers ! furious

Two Thumbs · Senior Member

Do you think he's a Chelsea FC fan .................... blankstare

Two Thumbs · Senior Member

Where have i seen these two before ?????????????

http://www.floorline-uk.com/the%20team.htm

-- Edited by Two Thumbs on Friday 18th of September 2009 09:58:35 PM

Tibby · Senior Member

Nice one simon do you think they could lay some red carpet for us down the road or even on the side of the road for us to have a picnic on!!!!!!!!

Withybrook · Senior Member

Brixton Parish

201-059
Blocked Lane..... another one that could be lost and found...

Torr Hill Farm Spriddlestone

About a mile or so of prime lane, blocked at top by farm by deliberately felled trees and farm rubbish, ploughed out through the center downhill section, gated at the stream end.......

I reported as blocked to DCC some months ago... any one else like to have a look and report
lane joins with other half across creek that is ridable, and a UCR marked as no through road at top B**** Lane

Withybrook · Senior Member

Tried to upload the parish map... too big!!!

sorry to nick your thread Fixer..... but think you have far more tenacity than I have!!!!

SIC 'EM FANG!!!!

tomh · Guru

Andy, afraid i dont have any contacts at Truro. If i have a problem i generally speak to Adam Hedley about it. He has the contacts.

May be worth sending an email the Estate Agents an email, they will be comitting an offence under the property mis description act if they are advertising it with a private drive

Fixer · Tribune

After a lengthy meeting with Nick Steenman-Clark at the PRoW Legal Dept in Lucombe House (Exeter) today, I have proof positive that as of the 25th March 1994 there was instruction given to leave the lane going past Bouchland Farm as an unclassified road. The County solicitor was informed and it was entered on the Land Charges Map on the 8th April 1994. This is the last time the lane we know as R7124 was mentioned and therefore it is the last ruling on the validity of the lane as a public right of way.

I have photos of all the relevant documents if you need/want to see them.

Brian Sussex has been informed and he also has all the photos.

Due to my dogged determination I have brought this matter to the consciousness of the Legal Dept so when North Area Highways Dept ask them to investigate they will get an immediate reply to say it is a UCR. JOB DONE!

Timus · Senior Member

Good job well done. Nice one Andy.

How long before we can go and ride it? I'm more than happy to take the fence down if we have to.

Captain Slow · Senior Member

Nice one Andy......nice one son
Nice one Andy, let's win another one!

(with apologies to 'Cyril' and any football supporters out there).

So proven without doubt it's a highway but what of the 'evidence' these Watts people reckon they have?

Fixer · Tribune

They are probably waving a piece of paper from the Parish Council asking for the lane to be downgraded or even shut. This forced a site meeting at Bouchland (the owners were there) and it was decided that the lane would remain the same, i.e. a UCR. The County Solicitor was informed and the Land Charges Mapping was endorsed on the 8/04/94. I don't suppose they ever had a letter telling them that and they may be trying to claim the land is now theirs through lack of use. Brian Sussex has user evidence going back quite a few years so that's a no no. There is a law stopping anyone claiming a highway is theirs once it's been a Public Right of Way.

Captain Slow · Senior Member

Thanks for the clarification. Will anyone from County check their 'evidence' claim do you think?

BTW, the money that you've spent so far getting this matter sorted out....your's or TVTR's may I ask?

Fixer · Tribune

It's all been my own money so far but if a vote was taken at the next meeting I wouldn't mind the £8 back it cost me for the Land Registry details for Valle Vue?

It's been instructive....I'm sure that North Highways will get in touch with legal and it'll be sorted out pronto. I'll email them tomorrow anyway.

Captain Slow · Senior Member

My personal feeling is that you should be re-imbursed. I don't see any good reason why you should spend your money, without the prospect, at least, of being re-imbursed for the outlay. Your research is, after all, for the benefit of us all (TRF) which includes the TVTR.
I will add it to the agenda for the next meeting, until then please continue. I quite like having a 'dog with a bone' on our side!! biggrin

.

Bob.

PS, Are you up for the Tamar Trial?

Withybrook · Senior Member

Public Paths have a DCC RoW backed " befriend a path" scheme, and I can see no reason why this should not include all Rights of Way... after all they belong to you and me for all to enjoy whatever yoy wear... wooly hat, jodphurs. crash helmet, of open backed gold lame driving gloves with RangeRover Branding!!!

I think I will befriend *** - 059 Torr Hill Farm... it REALLY NEEDS some friends to open it up!!

any takers ?

Mike · Senior Member

Andy

very impressed- three "we are not worthy's "coming your way.(plus a couple of quid to the fighting fund).

We will have to be carefull using the lane now - a makeshift stinger using carpet gripper rods perhaps!!!!!!!

Dave

Will a pen pal for Torr Hill suffice

Cheers

Mike

Wheely · Senior Member

This is an excellent result of good hard work and perserverance.

And you deserve every penny of out-of-pocket expenses returned to you (well you actually deserve much more than this, but you know what I mean !!).

Well done Andy.

Withybrook · Senior Member

Mike wrote:

Andy

very impressed- three "we are not worthy's "coming your way.(plus a couple of quid to the fighting fund).

We will have to be carefull using the lane now - a makeshift stinger using carpet gripper rods perhaps!!!!!!!

Dave

Will a pen pal for Torr Hill suffice

Cheers

Mike

any friends welcome

fill in a blocked lane report and send it online to DCC for starters........

........ maybe we can get our "LaneHound" Fixer on this one??????.....
.......or can I borrow your wand???

Neil400EXC · Senior Member

Well done Andy

You should definitely be reimbursed for your out of pocket expenses, preferably from TRF funds but in any event from TVTR.

adam h · Member

Hey - nice one Andy!

Couple of thoughts - if TVTR prepare a 'account' for costs involved then you should be able to get 'matched funding' from national TRF for any such work and expenses. I know Devon and several other groups have done so.
Send an email with details to the treasurer@trf (that is if there is a TRF after the next AGM)

Re: contacts at CCC - the dust has only just settled from the One Cornwall reorganisation - loads of change of personel but if it's an obstruction/enforcement issue Linda Holloway is enforcement officer for the ROW team -

mailto:roadstransportandparking@cornwall.gov.uk

should get to her

I'm working on getting uUCRs out from under the highways department but until then they will be first point of reference for nearly all Cornwall lanes (uUCRs) that is.