Consultation to review and update the National Park Authority’s Core Paths Plan

Strathard Community Trust has been invited to submit comments in advance of the consultation, to help shape the review. We will be collating responses by 18 July, in time for the deadline on 20 July. Below is the information we have received from the LLTNPA:

—–

“Dear Key Partner,
Later this year we will be undergoing a period of consultation to review and update the National Park Authority’s Core Paths Plan. As one of the key partners in the Park, we are inviting you to submit pre-consultation comments or feedback to help us to shape this review.

What is the Core Paths Plan and why are we updating it?

The preparation of a Core Paths Plan is a statutory duty for the National Park Authority and the current plan was adopted in 2010. Over the intervening years there have been various new paths created and upgrades to some existing paths that may now meet the criteria to be designated as core paths.

There have also been re-alignments of some core paths and some paths that were included as core paths have not been created as had been previously envisaged. The National Park Authority Access & Recreation team is currently developing a list of potential changes to the existing network and a full public consultation of proposed changes will be conducted later in the year.

Why are we asking for your comments and feedback?

As a key partner who has an interest and knowledge of the path networks within the National Park area, we would welcome any initial comments and recommendations that your organisation would like to put forward at this time before we enter into any formal consultation.

• At this initial informal stage we are not restricting responses to specific criteria however we would particularly welcome responses which address:
• Strategic comments on the sufficiency of the whole network
• · Comments on the sufficiency of local networks around settlements and hubs
• · Proposed additions to the plan and why
• · Proposed deletions from the plan and why
• · Proposed realignments and why
• In every response we would welcome clear references to the existing core path network shown here, with map numbers and grid references used where appropriate. We would also ask you to consider the scoring criteria which the National Park Authority and the Local Access Forum both agree remains relevant for this review. The scoring criteria are:
• · Identified by the community as a priority
• · Provides for a specific recreational use, as a primary use.
• · Provides enjoyment of the Parks special qualities
• · Promoted for visitors and tourism linked activity and contributes to economic linked benefits.
• · Provides useable links with the public transport network
• · Provides a functional route/link
• · Provides a link (or part of a link), between settlements including cross boundary
• · Provides a short route option close to or within settlements or visitor hubs/destinations
• · Forms a key link (or part of) to a wider network of paths/routes or strategic longer distance routes
• · Balances landowners interests with exercising access rights”