The 'road' from Adel Willows

Wool · Post by **Wool** » Wed 12 Feb, 2014 4:39 pm

Does anyone know whether Damstone Lane is still a public right of way? I walk it from time to time and it is evident that someone ( farmer at Parkway Fields?) is trying to discourage its use by laying branches across the lane and wiring up the gate near Parkway Fields with barbed wire.

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Sat 15 Feb, 2014 1:45 pm

"Some say" there's a good farmer (Adel Mill)and another one (Parkway).As to the lane, use it.

jim · Post by **jim** » Sat 15 Feb, 2014 2:26 pm

Jogon wrote: As to the lane, use it. Take appropriate implements.

sparky415 · Post by **sparky415** » Thu 20 Feb, 2014 10:01 pm

I will stand corrected, BUT, this 'road' is really an old cart track, long since dis-used and carries on from the five-lane-ends side of GAP, past the dam and then after the first small field turns a sharp left hand turn 90 degree's. It then runs parrallel with the otley road until almost the lawnsood Arms.

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Thu 20 Feb, 2014 11:29 pm

sparky415 wrote: I will stand corrected, BUT, this 'road' is really an old cart track, long since dis-used and carries on from the five-lane-ends side of GAP, past the dam and then after the first small field turns a sharp left hand turn 90 degree's. It then runs parrallel with the otley road until almost the lawnsood Arms. Or to put it another way, it was the main road north before the 'new' Otley Road was cut, see Don Cole etc maps earlier in thread.

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Fri 21 Feb, 2014 8:54 am

Is this track now part of the Meanwood Valley Trail? Google Maps seems to think so.

Chappers · Post by **Chappers** » Sat 26 Apr, 2014 11:23 pm

Wool wrote: Does anyone know whether Damstone Lane is still a public right of way? I walk it from time to time and it is evident that someone ( farmer at Parkway Fields?) is trying to discourage its use by laying branches across the lane and wiring up the gate near Parkway Fields with barbed wire. I have received the following email from Cllr. Barry Anderson. It concerns footpath LEED/15 which "Wool" is asking about. It is now of concern as a new housing development threatens the path. Click on the paperclip to see the full size plan that the council work by. As mentioned in the email, Ordnance Survey do not show it as a Right of Way, but the Council do. I was recently approached by a local resident to ask me why public right of way LEED/15/4 does not show up on Ordinance Survey Maps. This footpath is affected by the 2 proposed planning applications for the fields off Church Lane/Otley Road, Adel next to Centurion Fields and I wanted to ensure that it remained a protected footpath for the future. The initial response I got was:“Thank you for your enquiry. I have checked the Ordnance Survey Explorer Map No.27 for the Lower Wharfedale and Washburn Valley area, which includes the Bramhope and Cookridge areas and both Public Footpath Leeds No.4 and Public Bridleway Leeds No. 15 are shown on this map. Footpath No. 4 links from another public footpath that links to Cookridge Lane, to the west of Cookridge Avenue and Bridleway No.15 runs along the southern boundary of the of the Parkway Hotel to link to the A660, Otley Road. The Ordnance Survey revise their maps from time to time to take into account changes on the ground but they use public rights of way data shown on Definitive Maps held by each Local Authority.”Another Officer subsequently clarified the position:“The Ordnance Survey have been known to omit or realign paths on new maps from time to time, even when they have been on Ordnance Survey maps for many earlier editions or had no changes made to them. If they have been omitted we can contact the Ordnance Survey to inform them but it would not get added until the next publication but we would need a copy of the relevant section of the map and year of publication.”I then went back to Council Officers with the following information:“Please find attached two maps which will hopefully clarify the situation re Public Right of Way number LEEDS/15/4, the one inside the circle with the question mark beside it on the map that has all the local public rights of way marked on and is from November 2008. The other is a current Ordnance Survey map which clearly does not have this public right of way on it.”This elicited the following response from Officers:“Dear Councillor Anderson, The first map that you have shows claimed rights of way as well as the Definitive public right of way which have been added to an Ordnance Survey base map by Leeds City Council. There are rights way which need investigation to establish if public rights or not. The path that you have circled is a claimed footpath that is disputed by the landowners and will be investigated when the area is reviewed. The published Ordnance Survey map only shows Definitive public rights of way which have been legally proven to exist, therefore the claimed rights of way are not shown on their maps. They will not be shown on Ordnance Survey maps unless they are legally proven to exist.”I then asked when might this legality be tested? Officers then updated me as follows:“We have not received an application for a Definitive Map Modification Order [DMMO] Application for these paths at the moment. Therefore, these paths will be investigated when the area is reviewed. At present there are no plans to review this area as other areas are currently being worked on.”I then asked the following of Officers: “Due to the proposed developments by Hallam Land and David Wilson Homes on the PAS site next to this footpath area, can this footpath review be brought forward for this one as we could end up losing this area totally.”I was then copied into the following internal response:“Is this the claim that runs south of Leeds BW 15 ? There is building work (Centurion Fields I think) going on opposite Adel Church so I suspect this will be raising concerns locally. Can you explain to Cllr Anderson that claimed paths have to have a lower priority than those subject to a DMMO application but reassure him that if there is evidence it can still be considered regardless of what’s happening on the ground, notwithstanding the 2026 cut-off date, and we would comment on the claim in any communications with Planning. Of course if anyone wants to apply for a DMMO they can.”The most recent response today stated:“Dear Councillor Anderson,Thank you for your Inquiry concerning the claimed footpath at Adel. The Public Rights of Way Section have been consulted on the planning application for this site. The proposed development only affects a very small section of this claimed footpath near the southern end. An access is proposed that would cross the line of the claimed footpath but no building work is proposed that would result in the loss of the claimed footpath. In our comments we have informed them of the existence of the claimed footpath and that it should remain on its original line and not be encroached upon or interfered with in any way and should be treated as a definitive public right of way. We have also requested improvements to the existing definitive footpath as it is likely there will be an increase in use with any new development. We would make similar comment on any other planning applications that affect the claimed footpath. I am arranging a trip to the archives shortly and I will have a look at the Adel Inclosure Award which we believe has evidence for this claimed footpath as well as the Tithe Map.”I trust this keeps you up to date with matters that may be of interest to you.ThanksBarryCllr. Barry AndersonAdel & Wharfedale Wardwww.barryanderson.yourcllr.comTwitter @barryanderson19

Brunel · Post by **Brunel** » Sun 27 Apr, 2014 6:29 pm

Shown as a path......but not "public"http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=427045 ... &A=Y&Z=115

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Sun 27 Apr, 2014 6:55 pm

Interesting one, it was The Road, before the New Otley Rd. So does it drop from public useage as Adel Willows encroaches it's gardens / Farm owner uses it to bury or burn trade waste.I'd hope that, given the new build, all concerned would preserve this valuable resource because to otherwise get to GAP one needs to either walk the otley road, or go cross country via Holt Ln-footpath over golf course-pauls pond etc or Church Lane, king lane.All very non direct.

Wool · Post by **Wool** » Sun 27 Apr, 2014 7:02 pm

I also received the email from Councillor Anderson. I think this right of way ( if such it is) has come under the spotlight because the developers proposing to build on the field surrounding Adel Willows have marked it as a footpath on their plans. One of the problems with walking this ancient lane is accessing it from the South. As far as I can see, that involves trespassing from Adel Church over the fields behind Adel Willows or trespassing from Otley Road over the field to the North of Adel Willows. All of these fields are now owned by the builders. There is actually a stile from the field to the East of Adel Willows. The original point of entry to the lane was from Otley Road along what is now the drive to Adel Willows . Adel Willows was built by the Eddison family ( to replace Damstone Farm) and they also owned the adjoining land. I assume they blocked the entrance to the lane when Adel Willows was built. The toll road which is now the A660 was opened in the 1840's but I don't imagine from its architecture that Adel Willows was built until several years later.