Finally after a series of missed deadlines and broken promises, Countryside Properties has finally reopened two public footpaths that cross the new St James’ Park development In Thorley Parish.
The footpaths initially closed for 12 weeks on 2 November 2020 as result of a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO). The dely in reopening them has caused considerable frustration for the local community and finally led to Herts County Council threatening to issue an enforcement order to the developer. Fortunately minds were focussed and the footpaths reopened earlier this week.
This morning, accompanied by local councillor and long-standing Thorley Street resident, Janet Rolfe, we checked out the footpaths. We entered a very different landscape from the one we left 12 months ago. The field contours have been dramatically reconfigured and new balancing ponds dot the landscape. It now presents a very different walk to the one that Janet knew over 80 years ago.
The footpaths themselves now run through a corridor of temporary Herras type fencing and are approximately two metres wide. The surface was satisfactory given the conditions and offered no major obstacles although we will need to keep a close eye on it as the winter and development work progresses.
Dave Webber – BSDFA
