Core Paths Plan to be adopted
The next meeting of Perth & Kinross Council's Environment Committee is expected to see the formal adoption by Councillors of the Core Paths Plan for the Perth and Kinross area.
After an extensive programme of community engagement, during which many comments and objections were received, the Draft Plan went to public inquiry on 1 April 2010, which was conducted by the Scottish Government's Department for Planning & Environmental Appeals (DPEA). The inquiry considered outstanding objections and Council recommendations on possible modifications to the Draft Core Paths Plan, before reporting to the Scottish Ministers.
In early December 2011, the Council received the Inquiry Report, with directions from the Scottish Government to adopt the Core Paths Plan in line with the report's recommendations. Councillors will consider the modifications made, including the addition of some paths not proposed by the Council and omission of others. A few paths have been diverted to a new route. In total, just over 2000km of core paths are to be adopted. More than 350 modifications are considered in the Inquiry Report, with almost 83% of the Council's preferred options supported by the reporter.
Long-term process to deliver on Core Paths Plan
The Committee will be asked on Wednesday 25 January 2012 to formally adopt the Core Paths Plan, make the document available to the public and agree that a further report be brought back to a future meeting with recommendations as to how the Plan can best be implemented. Elected members will be advised that the delivery of the Plan is likely to be a long-term activity, involving local communities in selecting priority paths for improvement and promotion. Although work to signpost some core paths is already underway, where land managers have agreed, more ambitious projects will require further planning.
Environment Convener, Councillor Alan Grant said: "There has been a lengthy and detailed process to reach this stage with the Core Paths Plan for Perth and Kinross. A great deal of work has gone into the development of the Plan, through consultation with local communities and organisations, which has been praised as an exemplar for community engagement. I am also pleased to note that the Inquiry Report makes relatively few significant changes to our proposals.
"With the formal adoption of the Core Path Plan, our next task as a Council is to deliver on its details. While some aspects of this are already in progress, the overall implementation is not something we can complete overnight and there will be further contact with the key stakeholders in our communities to discuss how best to make this happen. We are in the position now where we can only go forward to provide effective access to our countryside for all."
