December 25 Update – Resident’s request access from Buckton Fields to Fairmile is re-instated

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See the Parish Council’s previous posts here:

  1. https://boughtonparishcouncil.co.uk/news/residents-request-access-from-buckton-fields-to-fairmile-is-re-instated
  2. https://boughtonparishcouncil.co.uk/news/update-on-residents-request-access-from-buckton-fields-to-fairmile-is-re-instated

At the Parish Council meeting on 17 November 2025, the Clerk reported:-

  •  the resident’s petition to reinstate the access has now reached 365 signatures
  • the Clerk attended a meeting with representatives from WNC Planning, Bloor Homes and Kingsthorpe Parish Council on 9th October.
  • Subsequently, WNC confirmed “there doesn’t appear to be any incidences of reported crime in the area”. Kingsthorpe Parish Council are meeting on 20th November with a recommendation to resolve that the fence should be removed.

At the meeting, the Council resolved to:- “note the resident’s online petition to reinstate the informal access has reached 365 signatures and it appears there are no incidences of reported crime in the area. With this in mind, Boughton Parish Council (BPC) strongly advocate that WNC take the appropriate steps to re-open the access. BPC rely upon the technical expertise of WNC Highways as to whether a safe route can be ascertained by simply taking the fence down.  The Clerk is to send this response to the appropriate parties.”     

WNC’s Planning officer has confirmed on 25th November 2025, 

  • “I note that both Parish Councils would like the fence erected by Bloor’s to be taken down to allow residents to informally cut through by developments.
  • From a planning perspective, a footpath connection in this location was not envisaged as part of the development.  The footpath link was further to the east, along Central Avenue.  I appreciate this is some distance from Fair Mile.
  • Following concerns from Councillors and a local resident and discussions with Planning, Bloor’s agreed to reinstall the fencing along their boundary to effectively block up the informal footpath link.  It is difficult to confirm the approved boundary treatment along this boundary, but it appears to require the existing boundary and landscaping to be retained.  I understand that it was residents who originally took down the fence as they wanted to created an informal access.
  • If both Parish Councils wish for a formal footpath to be created, I would advise that you work together to submit a planning application which proposes this.  This would allow you, as Parish Councils, to carry out informal consultation with neighbouring properties to seek their views on any such proposal.  This would create a formal footpath linking both developments creating an extension to the existing footpath on the Fair Mile side and linking into proposed footpaths on the Buckton Fields side.  I would suggest that you also liaise with Bloors regarding this.
  • If this is something that both PC’s wish to peruse, I could arrange a Teams meeting and include Highways, possibly Bloors as well, so that you are fully aware what would need to be addressed as part of any application.”

The above update will be brought to the Parish Council at there next meeting on Monday 15th December.