Published on:
07
February 2005
Clackmannanshire Council is seeking your views on a draft Outdoor Access Strategy for the County, which is being launched to coincide with the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 coming into force.
Part one of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 comes into force on 9th February and creates a statutory right to responsible access to most areas of land and inland water within Scotland and in doing so places new duties and powers upon the Council to uphold these new access rights.
The Act has been introduced to give everyone greater freedom to enjoy the outdoors and to clarify for the benefit of users, land managers and conservation what you can and cannot do, as well as where you can and cannot go.
The Council's Draft Outdoor Access Strategy complements the Act and was drawn up in consultation with local land managers, community groups, user groups and agencies who all share an interest in access issues and who have now come together to form the Clackmannanshire Access Forum.
The Draft Strategy defines the aims and objectives that will guide the management and development of access throughout Clackmannanshire over the next three years and aims to address the access needs and aspirations of everyone who lives, visits and works within the County.
Council Access Officer John Duffy said: "Although the new Act gives everyone increased access rights, we are in a comparatively privileged position to other areas of Scotlandgiven that we already have a well established and well used dense network of safe off-road routes which already enable people to move easily around the County.
"That being said we can always make improvements and the Council must endeavour to work towards improving and maintaining this network and filling in any missing links which will be identified as part of the consultations which will be held with local communities over the next three years as part of the process of identifying of a Core Path Network within the County."
Councillor Eddie Carrick, Convener of the Enterprise and Environment Committee, added: "The Strategy is not just for hillwalkers and ramblers. It covers a range of issues from health, tourism, heritage and access for all opportunities to everyday access such as taking a healthy walk to the shops rather than using the car."
You are invited to send a photographer to Gartmorn Dam at 2pm on Tuesday 8th February when Councillor Carrick and Brian Poett, chairman of the Clackmannanshire Access Forum, will be launching the consultation document.
Copies of the Draft Strategy will be available on Clacksweb, in local libraries and on request from the Access Officer.