Public inquiry will be held into Plymouth school footpath closure
A PUBLIC inquiry will be held into a school's bid to close a footpath that runs alongside its grounds.
Ridgeway School in Plympton says the footpath, known locally as Geasons Lane, is a source of anti-social behaviour.
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Geasons Lane
The school finally won partial backing from members of Plymouth City Council planning committee yesterday. Councillors on the committee voted to ask the Secretary of State to hold an inquiry over an order to abolish the public right of way.
This was the third time the application has been to the committee. The previous attempt was derailed after a legal slip-up by the council.
In October last year the school told the planning committee of a number of incidents which were reported to police.
These included a man seen hanging around school taking photos of children; a gang of about 12 youths caught throwing fireworks in the area behind the sports hall; and a motorcycle pushed up the lane and set on fire, damaging the sports hall.
Councillors were also told of numerous incidents of actual violence against staff and children.
John Emery, a member of the Plymouth Local Access Forum, told the planning committee yesterday that the council had failed to show how the school had met the requirement to take any other measures for improving or maintaining security.
Cllr George Wheeler (Lab, St Budeaux), a member of the committee, questioned whether the land was part of the school.
Cllr Brian Vincent (Lab, Efford and Lipson) said it had always been a public right of way which had been taken over by the school.
Council rights-of-way officer Robin Pearce said that for every person who had written to object to the closure there had been five people supporting closing the path.
An inquiry will cost £10,000 to £12,000, to be split between the school and the council.
After the meeting John Didymus, the school's head, said: "It's a step forward but it is unfortunate that we and the council together will have to pay up to £12,000 for the inquiry."
He said that closing the footpath was an urgent problem.
"We have regular trespassers and people who cause problems occasionally for staff and for students.
"We hope this will progress quickly now for the sake of the children. It has always been for the sake of the children.
"It's regrettable that this is the third time we have been here at the planning committee."
Comments
by Greybonce
Saturday, February 11 2012, 4:33PM
“If the lane IS eventually closed, what will happen to it? I assume it'll be closed off at each end, but then what?”
by BettyD
Saturday, February 11 2012, 8:30AM
“How can people trespass a public right of way? the school have a six foot high steel fence running along the lane so I don't see what the problem is, maybe Mr Didymus should look towards his pupils who continually harrass innocent members of the public when they are in and out of school and sort them out first. This lane apart from serving as a walkway from one end of Ridgeway shops to the other also provides access to the rear of many shops where some employers prefer the staff use the back entrances, WHAT will happen to them
Funny how the lane was there before the school and we haven't heard of any problems until now, stick to educating Mr Didymus don't dip your fingers into other pies”