On 12 March 2026, and 19 March 2026 we covered the story of the footpath at Mill Lane in Kintbury which was closed off by the owners of Barton Court in 2022. The result of this and the actions that were taken to oppose this move will be an appeal hearing by the Planning Inspector in May 2026.
On 18 March, we received the following statement from Ramblers UK which we’re happy to print in its entirety. We are aware that other points of view exist (hence the need for the appeal): if other statements are sent to us we shall endeavour ro give them similar coverage.Please contact brian@pennypost.org.uk.
Attention is drawn to the Notice of Public Local Inquiry at the foot of this post.
For many decades the public enjoyed access to and along Mill Lane through the Barton Court Estate. Mill Lane provided a connection between footpaths KINT/13/1 (towards Wawcott and Elcot) and KINT/14/1 (towards Avington and Kintbury.)
The gates at the east end of Mill Lane where it meets Station Road were, as far as anyone can remember, never closed. This allowed the public unfettered access to pass and repass the length of Mill Lane ‘without let or hinderance’ and enabled the Causeway, also known locally as the Avenue, and Mill Lane to be used to leave and return to Kintbury village by a safe and scenic route which avoided the need to walk along Station Road which has no footpath or verge to protect pedestrians.
This situation continued uninterrupted until September 2022 when a gate was erected across Mill Lane near Spinney House. In response, a Definitive Map Modification Order (DMMO) application was submitted to West Berkshire Council by Ramblers UK.
After a thorough investigation, the WBC footpath officer granted the order in March 2024. In August 2024 Kintbury Parish Council discussed and endorsed the order by West Berkshire Council.
Following the making of the order by WBC, the landowner of the Barton Court Estate registered an objection and the order is now subject to a Planning Inquiry.
The public inquiry will be undertaken by a Planning Inspector. The case in favour of the application will be made by a Barrister representing Ramblers UK and the case against the application by a Barrister representing the owners of the Barton Court Estate. Both sides will have the opportunity to call witnesses to confirm their written evidence and to be examined and cross examined on their evidence.
[Note from Penny Post. There has recently been a change to the dates and venues. The latest information received from the Planning Inspectorate is that the hearing will start at 10am on Wednesday 13 May 2026 at Kintbury Jubilee Centre, Inkpen Road, Kintbury, RG17 9TU: and that it will continue at 10am on Thursday 14 May 2026, this time at the Kintbury Coronation Hall, 18 Inkpen Road, Kintbury, Berkshire, RG17 9TX. The hearing may, depending on the progress and the number of witnesses, extend to Friday 15 May 2026, also at the Coronation Hall. Other sources may show different details, though these should be being updated.
Anyone who contacted West Berkshire Council to oppose or support the DMMO application will be contacted by the Planning Inspectorate in advance of the hearing to confirm the details. I understand that any schedule changes will also be reflected in the Notice of Public Local Inquiry.]
The legal basis for the requested DMMO is set down in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, section 53. The Act allows for a path to be claimed as a public right of way over private land if the public have enjoyed unfettered access to pass and repass across that private land without let or hindrance for a period of twenty years prior to an act that Brought into Question (BIQ) the right to pass along the claimed right of way, in this case Mill Lane.
The relevant twenty-year period to be considered is September 2002 to September 2022 when Mill Lane was first blocked by the installation of a gate. This was the act that Brought into Question the right to pass and re-pass at will along Mill Lane between Station Road and Public Footpath KINT/14/1.
Members of the public may attend the inquiry to observe. If you wish to give evidence in support of the application, please contact efutcher@gmail.com for the Ramblers at the latest by Tuesday 7 April 2026.
The Planning Inspector may be expected to take several weeks after the inquiry to announce the decision.
For full details of the schedule, please click here to see the Notice of Public Local Inquiry. This includes a map of the path, which is also reproduced below.
3 Responses
PS – I did eventually find a ‘map’ – but it was very confusing. The map was tilted over, and there was no context where one could work out where each footpath came from, and no names of anything, only meaningless numbers.
Hi Kate,
Completely take your points. Have therefore taken the map out of the WBC document and added it to the foot of the post. Thnks for pointing this out.
To make sense of the numbers, go to https://gis2.westberks.gov.uk/webapps/OnlineMap/ and then select the layers menu (looks like three sheets of paper), top right. Then open up “Countryside” and slick on “Public rights of way”. You can then zoom into Kintbury and see the localtion in context.
Best,
Brian
Re:”Statement from Ramblers UK regarding the application for Mill Lane on the Barton Court Estate to become a public footpath.”
Was surprised that there was no Map displayed to show this area in question.
Are you able to display a Map ?