Active Travel Path between Easton and Collyweston

Here is an update on our endeavours to create an active travel path between Easton - Collyweston - Duddington - Fineshade. 
Autumn 2023 - we commissioned a professional feasibility study to look at several different route options. This was funded by a grant from Augean, via Connect Stamford CIC,  with support from North Northants Council.
Following completion of the study we re-approached the landowners. We hoped to issue the study with a preferred route agreed with the landowners with an intention to grant a 25 year lease - thus enabling us to apply for capital funding.

Since last November we have been in discussion with Burghley Estate and the Ministry of Defence regarding use of their land.
Although previously being supportive of the concept, Burghley have now stated that they are currently unable to support the project. Their land, with its existing permissive footpaths, is let to various tenant farmers. Creating a multi-use track would have to be negotiated with the tenants. For clarification, a permissive footpath does not change the farmable land area whereas a constructed track does.

We understand that all the tenants have reservations on the proposals and Burghley is unwilling to force the issue.
We will now revert to looking at using the verge, and footpaths where existing, along the A43.
One of our options was to create a path beside the A47 between the Collyweston Cross Roads (back gate into RAF Wittering) and the junction of The Drove at the A47. There is a narrow strip of MOD land on the outside of their security fence. Although this 1 km long route option doesn’t help with our hoped-for route to Fineshade, it does assist enormously in getting to Kings Cliffe and the pleasant Northamptonshire lanes South of the A47.

The RAF Wittering projects team were initially supportive, but are fully committed this year with base improvements. We hope to be able to discuss it further in 2025.

All the route options are detailed in the Feasibility Study which is now available to view HERE

We will continue to try to achieve our goals. If you wish to assist with a bit of lobbying of landowners, tenant farmers, senior RAF personnel, County Highways and Councillors etc, please do. It can only help! And if you wish to know who we have been talking to, do come back to me at jeswillis@btinternet.com.
Jo Willis