Policy DM25: Public rights of way, pedestrian and cycle access

The objective to promote accessibility through maintaining public rights of way is supported. However, the emerging policy is potentially onerous in restricting development to that which would not,

inter alia

, reduce amenity and requiring replacement facilities to be no less aesthetically attractive. These are inherently subjective criteria which could prove difficult to comply with where urban extensions are proposed since the environmental context through which the retained or replacement routes will run is likely to change materially from undeveloped to developed. Some may regard this as an inherent reduction in amenity and / or aesthetic attractiveness, but which it would be difficult to avert. The policy should acknowledge the inevitability of such contextual change and, where it occurs, should not construe it as an adverse impact to be mitigated in order for development to proceed. The benefits of development, for example in terms enhancing accessibility through providing the potential for upgrading existing routes to multi-user infrastructure, should be given greater weight in the policy.