The public inquiry into the case for footpaths leading to Vixen Tor to be designated as Public Rights of Way (PRoW) has been rescheduled for 19th July 2011 for two days.
Access to the Tor was removed in 2003 following a change in land ownership. Prior to 2003, climbers and walkers had enjoyed access to the Tor for several decades. The area around the crag was provisionally mapped as Open Access land under the CRoW Act (2000), but the landowner contested this and won her appeal during a public inquiry in 2005. Since then, various parties (including the BMC, The Ramblers and the Dartmoor National Park Authority) have tried to negotiate an access agreement with the owner (all to no avail) and access to the crag has been banned ever since.
In the meantime, The Ramblers and the BMC campaigned for the footpath's leading to the Tor to be designated as PRoW. Devon County Council (DCC) considered the evidence and recommended the Definitive Map should be modified to this effect. The landowner appealed against the decision, and the case was heard at another Planning Inspectorate public inquiry from 23rd to 25th November 2010. There wasn't adequate time to hear all evidence relating to the modification proposal and landowners appeal however, so the Planning Inspectorate scheduled additional dates in December 2010. These were then cancelled due to adverse weather (snow and ice on the roads) and new dates have now been agreed for the 19th-20th July 2011.
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