Norfolk Broads footpath row sees government officials called in

But for the past five years, the peace and secluded charm of Alderfen Broad has been overshadowed by an extraordinary row over a 600m stretch of footpath that leads to it.

The dispute has pitted farmers, a local charity and walkers against each other and led to claims of intimidation, "unpleasant incidents" and abusive language, as well as the mysterious disappearance of key documents.The Neatishead village sign (Image: Newsquest)

Villagers in nearby Neatishead say the row - which was sparked after a route to the site was blocked off in 2019 - has caused "anger and distress" in the community.

Now government officials have been drawn in to settle the dispute, by determining once and for all whether or not the footpath should be reopened.

The southern side of the disputed path in Neatishead, starting from the entrance to Alderfen Broad (Image: Newsquest)

THE NEATISHEAD NIGGLE

The footpath runs from the end of Sow's Lake, at Threehammer Common, through woodland before turning south towards Alderfen Broad, a site of scientific interest which is not connected to the main river network but lies close to the river Ant and Barton Broad.

The path is one of the most direct routes villagers can take to reach Alderfen and was once a popular track for dog walkers.

It travels through land that was willed to the parishioners of Neatishead before later coming into the ownership of Neatishead Poor's and Fuel Allotment Charity.

The charity, established in the 1800s, owns a total of 15 acres of land in the area, including the village playing field and bowls green, which were bequeathed to it. It receives about £1,700 a year from lettings.

The land now crossed by the controversial footpath was turned into allotments in 1905 but by the 1980s it had become farmland managed by a tenant farmer. 

An aerial view of the footpath route, which links Neatishead to Alderfen Broad (Image: Google)

According to documents submitted by villagers to the Planning Inspectorate - the government body adjudicating on the dispute - he was happy to let people walk along the path, which runs along the perimeter of the farmland, unless there was a pheasant shoot on.

The land later changed hands to Stuart Pairpoint, who overtook the tenancy in 2011.

Walkers continued to use the route until 2019 when they found it blocked by 'no entry' signs put up by the farmer.

A sign put up along the path in 2019, telling people they could not use it (Image: Norfolk County Council)

SIGNS SPARK TENSIONS

According to the documents submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, locals say this led to "unpleasant incidents involving abusive language and intimidation" between the warring parties.

The farmer then blocked the route with 19 large logs and a fallen tree at one end with heavy farm machinery at the other.

Tensions continued to simmer over the following months, leading to rising conflict between walkers and the farmer.

One incident is outlined in the documents - although there are two differing accounts.

Mr Pairpoint's son has claimed he attempted to stop a woman walking along the path as he had just sprayed crops with herbicide and was concerned for her safety.

He said this was met with "profane language" in response and the woman continued on her walk.

However, the walker says Mr Pairpoint's son "chased" her and her dog off the footpath with his tractor while using rude language of his own.

OFFICIALS GET INVOLVED

After the signs went up, one villager, Gill Young, contacted Norfolk County Council in an attempt to get the path registered as a public right of way.A fallen tree branch was placed across the path to block walkers in 2019 (Image: Norfolk County Council)

However, Neatishead Poor's and Fuel Allotment Charity opposed the move, saying no public access right existed and that if one was created it would have an impact on its ability to rent out the land.

The matter now rests with the Planning Inspectorate, which is taking evidence from both sides.Farm machinery placed at the southern end of the path in Neatishead in 2019, blocking walkers (Image: Norfolk County Council)

FARMER'S FOOTPATH FEARS

In his submission to the officials, Mr Pairpoint said he decided to block the route after growing numbers of ramblers started walking along the margin of the field with dogs.

This made him worry about wildlife and nesting waterbirds - dogs have been banned from walking around Alderfen Broad itself.

He also said he worried livestock could become infected with parasites from dog faeces.

However, locals told the officials the land has never been used for livestock, calling the claims "ridiculous."

For its part, the Neatishead Poor And Allotment Charity is supporting Mr Pairpoint in contesting the footpath.

It says the land has always been private farmland and that people have never been entitled to walk past. 

The disputed path runs along the margin of the field, which is owned by the Neatishead Poor's or Fuel Allotment Charity (Image: Denise Bradley)

MYSTERY OF THE MISSING PAPERWORK

In her submission, Ms Young said she had been hampered in her attempts to build her case by the mysterious disappearance of key documents.

She approached Norfolk Record Office (NRO) to view papers about the village held in their archives but they had been taken out by Nick Fowle, the then chairman of the Poor And Allotment Charity.
Alderfen Broad is a hidden beauty spot managed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust, which has boardwalks around the Broad for the chance of some wildlife spotting (Image: Denise Bradley)

After several months, when they were long overdue, Ms Young complained, forcing the NRO to request the records back.

However, Ms Young claimed that some of these records, including a covenant related to the land, were no longer in the file. She has not been able to find them.

She told the Planning Inspectorate: "Where all these records are now is unclear partly because the NRO recategorised some of them and partly because Nick Fowle may have succeeded in transferring them."

Mr Fowle said he had requested the documents to research the history of the charity to better understand the role it plays in the village. 

He declined to comment to this newspaper about where the missing documents might have ended up.

The public inquiry will be held at Horning Village Hall on October 15 (Image: Evelyn Simak/Geograph)

VILLAGE SHOWDOWN

The inspectorate is holding a public hearing at Horning village hall on October 15.

This will determine once and for all if the footpath can be added to the definitive map of public rights of way in Norfolk.

Villagers have gathered more than 20 witness statements from those who say they have used the path for at least a 20-year time period.

In the statement of case, a representative for the villagers said: "If free access to the path is denied, it will mean that land that was given to the parishioners for their benefit has been taken from them."

But the charity hopes that blocking the footpath will "safeguard the future of this parcel of land".

"Should the present tenant decide to surrender his tenancy, who will want to farm a plot of land surrounded on all sides by a right of way?" a spokesman said.